…Minister challenges young people to compare president’s record with past administrations
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Tinubu has ended decades of neglect of youths and women in the territory through the establishment of dedicated secretariats to address their concerns.
Wike made the declaration on Wednesday in Abuja during an interactive session with FCT youths, challenging them to compare Tinubu’s achievements with those of previous administrations instead of relying on social media narratives and political sentiments.
He described the creation of the FCT Youth Secretariat and Women Affairs Secretariat as a major breakthrough, noting that the territory, created in 1976, operated for decades without dedicated administrative structures for the two groups.
The minister asked what successive administrations had done to give youths and women a voice in governance.
“The FCT was created in 1976. What was the position of the youths and women then? Was there any establishment of a Youth Secretariat? Was there any establishment of a Women Secretariat? What forum was given to the youths and women to be included in the administration?” he queried.
Wike said the establishment of the two secretariats was not merely a political gesture but a deliberate attempt to address longstanding concerns and provide a foundation for youth and women’s development.
He urged young people to judge leaders by their achievements and willingness to take difficult decisions rather than promises and online campaigns.
“This is not social media. This is not about telling lies or being a content developer. We are being practical. It is time for us to stop giving fish lies and begin to be realistic,” he said.
Defending Tinubu’s economic reforms, Wike described the removal of petrol subsidy as a courageous decision that previous presidential candidates had avoided despite recognising the policy’s unsustainable cost.
He argued that subsidy removal had freed up resources and increased allocations to state and local governments, giving them more funds to execute development projects and meet their obligations.
The minister also cited the relative stability in the university system and the absence of recurring nationwide strikes in recent years as achievements Nigerians should acknowledge.
“For the past three years, have we had any strike in our universities? No. Why is that not something we should recognise? Money has remained available to the sub-nationals. States and local governments now have more money,” he said.
Wike maintained that difficult economic reforms required courage and patience, adding that purposeful leadership remained critical to national development.
Youths make demands
At the meeting, FCT youths presented proposals covering scholarships, employment, skills acquisition, transportation, education and protection of indigenous communities.
President of the FCT Youth Network, Comrade Isaac David, disclosed that youth organisations had developed an FCT Youth Development Policy in collaboration with international organisations, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
He appealed to Wike to support the establishment of an FCT Education Trust Fund to attract additional funding for the education sector through corporate organisations and development partners.
David also urged youths to support Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, calling on them to demonstrate their commitment through their Permanent Voter Cards.
Another youth leader, Destiny Yamawo, called for increased funding for the FCT Scholarship Board to enable more students, including those seeking foreign scholarships, to benefit.
He also appealed for improved teachers’ welfare to prevent industrial disputes that could disrupt academic activities.
On the ongoing review of the FCT master plan, Yamawo urged the administration to integrate indigenous communities into development plans and provide adequate compensation whenever relocation becomes necessary.
President of the Indigenous Youths of the FCT, Hassan Aliyu, sought the minister’s intervention in approving scholarship applications for FCT indigenes, saying the list of successful applicants had reportedly been forwarded to his office.
He also requested dedicated buses for students attending academic conferences, leadership programmes and other educational activities.
The Chairman of the FCT Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Apostle Peter Anyebe, commended Wike’s infrastructure and urban renewal projects, saying the transformation of Abuja was visible.
Similarly, Muslim youth leader Adam Ahmed praised the minister’s development record, citing his achievements as Rivers State governor and ongoing infrastructure projects in the FCT.
The youths pledged to work with the administration to turn their proposals into practical programmes that would improve opportunities and living conditions across the six area councils.
