In a bold and blistering rebuke to his critics, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared, “I have land to bury critics,” while commissioning the newly completed Apo-Wassa Road — a major access route under the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) in Abuja.
Speaking during the high-profile ceremony, Wike dismissed attacks on the administration’s aggressive infrastructure push, stating unequivocally that no amount of “petty politics or social media noise” will derail the Renewed Hope Agenda championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “If you want to die because we named the refurbished International Conference Centre after Mr. President, go and die. I have land to bury you,” he said to thunderous applause.
He added that those who refuse to acknowledge the progress being made in the FCT are simply blinded by political bitterness. “If you cannot commend someone who has done well for the country, then the problem is yours. This is not about sentiments. We are delivering real development,” Wike stated, noting that critics deliberately choose to ignore the visible transformation happening across the capital city.
Wike said criticism was not unexpected in politics, but he drew the line at deliberate falsehoods. “Yes, we are politicians and criticism is part of the game. But that doesn’t mean you should lie or pretend not to see what is obvious. If God gave you eyes and you still choose not to see, then remain blind. It’s your choice,” he said, taking a swipe at what he described as dishonest, agenda-driven commentary.
He also challenged critics of the newly renovated International Conference Centre (ICC), urging them to consider the difference in value and infrastructure costs between 1991 and the current realities. “This is not 1991. The economy, materials, and labor costs have changed. But they pretend not to know — just to play politics,” Wike said, insisting that the ICC refurbishment was not only justified but long overdue.
The Apo-Wassa Road, a 15-kilometer project, is one of several long-abandoned projects revived under Wike’s tenure. The Minister said the road will drastically reduce travel time, link underserved communities like Wassa, Ketti, Kabusa, and Takushara, and open up economic opportunities across the city’s southern corridor.
