Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, strongly defended President Bola Tinubu and the N39 billion renovation of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, attacking critics for lacking appreciation for quality development.
After President Tinubu inaugurated the renovated Centre on Tuesday, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi criticized the cost. Obi called the project a misplaced priority, arguing that the funds should have gone into education to benefit struggling schoolchildren.
“The government should have used the N39bn for urgent educational needs instead of favoring the elite,” Obi remarked.
Wike responded to the backlash during the inauguration of the Left-hand Service Carriageway of the Outer Southern Expressway from Apo-Wasa on Friday. He urged critics to visit Abuja and witness the transformation firsthand.
He emphasized that the renovation overhauled nearly every aspect of the International Conference Centre, stating, “Only the building block remained unchanged; everything else was upgraded.” Wike attributed the cost increase to market variations and inflation.
He criticized those attacking the project, claiming they lacked good judgment and patriotism. “No true lover of this country would criticize the renovated ICC,” he said. “People should stop pretending to be humble while spreading falsehoods. Nigeria must showcase its status as the giant of Africa through visible development.”
Wike also dismissed comparisons to past projects, challenging critics to consider the differences in exchange rates and economic conditions between now and the early 1990s.
Taking a jab at former presidential spokesperson Reuben Abati, Wike accused him of failing to defend President Goodluck Jonathan during his tenure. “If you didn’t stand up for your boss then, don’t expect us to stay silent now. I have the capacity to defend my boss, and I will,” Wike asserted.
He added sarcastically, “If you’re so bitter about the ICC being named after the President, go ahead and die. I even have land where we can bury you. Africa’s population is too high anyway.”
Wike concluded by questioning why anyone would oppose honoring a president who, in his view, had delivered visible results.
