FCT Minister announces approval for a new road project, promises completion of the second phase of the Kuje–Gwagwalada road by December 2026, and urges residents to support President Tinubu and Rainbow Coalition candidates in the 2027 elections.
By A1NEWS International
KUJE, FCT, Nigeria — October 23, 2026
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has approved the construction of the Kuje–Sabo–Yenche–Rubochi Road, responding to requests from residents and political stakeholders in Kuje Area Council.
Wike announced the approval on Friday, October 23, 2026, during an interactive stakeholders’ meeting of the FCT Rainbow Coalition in Kuje, where he outlined infrastructure projects undertaken by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and called on residents to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The minister also assured residents that the second phase of the Kuje–Gwagwalada road project would be completed and commissioned by December 2026, attributing the administration’s infrastructure progress to funding approvals secured under President Tinubu.
Beyond infrastructure development, the meeting provided a platform for Wike to intensify political mobilisation for the Rainbow Coalition, an alliance bringing together politicians from different parties to support agreed candidates and advance what its members describe as the collective interests of the FCT.
The gathering featured criticism of opposition figures, appeals for continuity in the federal administration, endorsements of legislative candidates, and an announcement that two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates would step down in support of their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts.
Wike Approves New Road, Promises December Completion for Kuje–Gwagwalada Project
Addressing stakeholders, Wike said the approval for the Kuje–Sabo–Yenche–Rubochi Road followed requests presented by residents and community representatives.
The proposed road is expected to improve connectivity among the communities along its route, although the minister’s announcement did not specify the project’s commencement date, contract value, construction timeline or expected completion date.
Wike also assured the gathering that the second phase of the Kuje–Gwagwalada road project would be completed and commissioned before the end of December 2026.
He added that other road construction requests submitted by Kuje stakeholders would receive attention, indicating that the administration intended to address the area’s infrastructure needs systematically.
The commitments place road development at the centre of the administration’s engagement with communities in the FCT’s satellite towns, where residents continue to seek improved transportation links, access to public services and infrastructure capable of supporting population growth.
However, the delivery of the announced projects will ultimately be measured by the commencement of construction, adherence to timelines and the quality of completed infrastructure.
Wike Urges FCT Residents to Support Tinubu’s Re-election Bid
Turning to national politics, the minister urged FCT residents to assess political candidates based on their records in public office rather than campaign promises or displays of solidarity during election periods.
He argued that voters should distinguish between politicians with verifiable achievements and those whose engagement with ordinary Nigerians, in his view, was primarily motivated by electoral considerations.
“You have seen a government that is working, and you want to try and change it? Nobody makes that mistake,” Wike said.
He urged residents to vote massively for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, presenting continuity in the federal administration as the preferred option for sustaining ongoing infrastructure development.
The minister’s position reflects the Rainbow Coalition’s strategy of mobilising support across party lines for Tinubu and selected candidates contesting National Assembly seats in the FCT.
Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the administration’s performance-based argument will depend on how voters evaluate its achievements against their experiences of public services, economic conditions, infrastructure delivery and other governance concerns.
Minister Questions Peter Obi’s Pre-Election Outreach
Wike also criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, over his reported visits to markets and internally displaced persons’ camps.
The minister questioned whether such engagements demonstrated a consistent record of public service or were intended to improve the opposition figure’s electoral appeal ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He challenged voters to examine whether Obi undertook similar public engagements during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.
“When they are contesting for President, they go to Kuje market and you say, ‘Oh, he is humble.’ Ask him, when he was governor, did he go to the market? Ask him, when he was governor, did he go to an IDP camp to celebrate his birthday?” Wike said.
He further argued that voters should not mistake campaign appearances for evidence of sustained commitment to the welfare of ordinary citizens.
The minister’s comments were part of his broader appeal for FCT residents to scrutinise the records and motivations of politicians seeking their votes.
However, his characterisation of Obi’s outreach as political showmanship represents Wike’s assessment and does not, by itself, establish the opposition candidate’s intentions.
Wike Challenges Amaechi Over Rivers State Projects
The FCT minister also directed criticism at Rotimi Amaechi, whom he identified as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate.
Wike questioned Amaechi’s record as a former governor of Rivers State, citing expenditure and project execution issues that he said raised concerns about accountability in public office.
Among the issues he raised was an alleged expenditure of N10 billion on fumigation intended to control mosquitoes in Rivers State.
Wike questioned the effectiveness of the reported intervention, arguing that residents continued to experience mosquito bites despite the expenditure.
“My former governor—the one who said he fumigated Rivers State for N10 billion so mosquitoes wouldn’t bite again… Up till now, mosquitoes still bite us in Rivers. Now he says he wants to be your Vice President; is he going to fumigate Nigeria?” the minister asked.
He also questioned the status of a purported 1,000-bed hospital project, alleging that N53 billion had been paid to contractors, and criticised the stalled Rivers monorail project, which he put at N68 billion.
Wike urged Nigerians to examine the implementation records of political officeholders before entrusting them with higher responsibilities.
The allegations and figures cited by the minister were not independently substantiated in the statement announcing the road approval. They should therefore be assessed against relevant contract documents, payment records, project reports and responses from the individuals and institutions concerned.
Amaechi’s response to the specific allegations was not included in the minister’s statement.
Wike Backs Aduda, Criticises FCT’s Current Senate Representation
The minister also addressed legislative representation in the FCT, arguing that residents made the wrong choice when they elected the current Senate representation in 2023.
He accused the incumbent representation of failing to adequately address the concerns of constituents, traditional institutions and local communities.
Wike insisted that residents should make different choices in the forthcoming elections and support candidates with established relationships with the electorate.
He specifically endorsed former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, alongside other National Assembly candidates supported by the Rainbow Coalition.
According to the minister, effective representation requires elected officials to maintain close contact with constituents and understand their everyday challenges.
“Aduda knows them—when they are crying and when they are sleeping. That is the essence of representation,” Wike said.
He warned residents against entrusting their future to what he described as political gamblers, urging them to consider candidates’ records of service and engagement with their communities.
The endorsement places Aduda at the centre of the coalition’s campaign for the FCT Senate seat, although the ultimate decision rests with voters at the ballot box.
Rainbow Coalition Prioritises FCT Interests Over Party Differences
Explaining the rationale behind the Rainbow Coalition, Wike said political parties should be viewed as vehicles for achieving political objectives rather than permanent barriers to cooperation.
He argued that politicians from different parties could work together where they shared common interests, particularly in advancing peace, development and effective representation in the FCT.
“What is a party? A party is the vehicle that takes you to your destination. When you get to your destination, you come down and do your business,” he said.
“For the interest of peace in Kuje, and the FCT, we believe we should not be fighting ourselves. Whoever goes there does so for the interest of Kuje and the FCT,” the minister added.
The coalition’s approach seeks to bring political actors together around selected candidates despite their different party affiliations.
While the arrangement could improve coordination among participating political groups, its practical significance will depend on how the coalition manages competing interests, candidate selection and accountability to voters.
Kuje Chairman Commends FCTA’s Infrastructure Programme
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Hon. Danjuma Samuel Shekwolo, thanked Wike for appointing an indigene of Kuje as Mandate Secretary for Agriculture.
Shekwolo also commended the FCTA’s infrastructure initiatives in the area, describing the projects as beneficial to residents.
He pledged to mobilise voters in Kuje for President Tinubu and legislative candidates endorsed by the Rainbow Coalition.
His remarks reinforced the coalition’s effort to secure grassroots support through local political structures, traditional institutions and community organisations.
APC, PDP Leaders Pledge Support for the Coalition
The FCT Chairman of the APC, Hon. Tanko Yamawo, praised Wike’s infrastructure programme and the political cooperation between former rivals in the territory.
He said the coalition had demonstrated that political parties could work together where their members agreed on common objectives.
“Today we eat in the same pot with the PDP because the Minister has told us that partnership brings results,” Yamawo said.
He also expressed confidence that the coalition would secure electoral victories in the FCT, referring to January 16, 2027, in connection with its mobilisation plans.
Similarly, the FCT PDP Chairman, Ismaila Mohammed, commended Wike for bringing politicians from different parties together.
Mohammed described the minister’s leadership as instrumental in restoring confidence among stakeholders in Kuje and said PDP members had been directed to support President Tinubu and the coalition’s endorsed candidates.
Representatives of traditional institutions, women and youth groups also expressed support for the administration, praising its approach to inclusion and rural development.
They pledged to encourage voter participation in the forthcoming elections.
The endorsements demonstrate the coalition’s effort to consolidate support among political party structures and community groups. However, declarations of support at political gatherings do not necessarily translate into votes, making sustained mobilisation and voter participation critical to the alliance’s prospects.
PDP Candidates Step Down for APC Counterparts
One of the major developments at the meeting was the announcement by the PDP’s FCT senatorial candidate, Angulu Bako, and House of Representatives candidate, Ahmed Dogara Jacob, that they would step down in support of their APC counterparts.
The announcement was presented as part of the Rainbow Coalition’s effort to consolidate support behind its preferred candidates.
The APC candidates identified at the meeting included Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda for the Senate and Hon. Danladi Chiya for the House of Representatives.
The proposed withdrawals could reshape the contest in the affected constituencies by reducing competition among candidates associated with the coalition.
However, the practical and legal implications of the announcements will depend on the applicable electoral procedures, the candidates’ formal status and any required documentation or action before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The announcements at the meeting should therefore be distinguished from confirmation that all necessary electoral procedures for withdrawal or substitution have been completed.
Senior Political Figures Attend Kuje Meeting
The meeting attracted several political figures and stakeholders from across the FCT and beyond.
Those in attendance included APC National Vice Chairman for the South-South, Chief Victor Giadom; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Allwell Onyesoh; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; and APC Zonal Secretary for the North-Central, Yakubu Adamu.
Also present were chairmen of the six FCT Area Councils, former FCT senator Jibrin Wowo, Senator Isa Maina, and other Rainbow Coalition candidates and members.
Their participation underscored the political significance of the gathering as the coalition seeks to strengthen its organisational structure and broaden support ahead of the 2027 elections.
Conclusion: Infrastructure Commitments Meet Electoral Calculations
Wike’s Kuje engagement combined a significant infrastructure announcement with an explicit campaign for President Tinubu and the Rainbow Coalition’s legislative candidates.
The approval for the Kuje–Sabo–Yenche–Rubochi Road and the promise to complete the second phase of the Kuje–Gwagwalada road by December 2026 offer residents specific commitments against which the FCTA’s performance can be assessed.
At the same time, the minister’s criticism of opposition figures, endorsement of selected candidates and support for cross-party cooperation reveal the coalition’s strategy of linking infrastructure delivery to political continuity.
For residents, the central questions will be whether announced projects translate into completed roads, whether elected representatives remain accountable to their constituents and whether political alliances produce measurable improvements in public services.
Ultimately, the credibility of the coalition’s promises and the competing claims of political candidates will be tested by verifiable records, implementation outcomes and the choices voters make in 2027.
Leave a Reply