By Nelson Utip
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT , Nyesom Woke has debunked the allegation that he is defecting to the APC, vowing to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, he stated that his appointment as Minister by President Bola Tinubu of the APC does not depict his exit from the PDP.
In a live broadcast marking his one year in office, the Minister addressed the ongoing battle for control within the Rivers State chapter of the PDP saying that he would continue to fight for the rights of party members while correcting perceived injustices within the party.
“I will not leave the PDP, even as the fight at home in Rivers State and at the national level intensifies,”
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“I am not prepared to join the APC. The work I am doing here was handed over to me by The President, and I am focused on achieving the task before me.” Wike said.
He emphasised that his support for President Tinubu during the 2023 election was as a result of his belief in The President’s ability to address Nigeria’s challenges, rather than any intention to defect to APC.
“I will not fold my arms and allow the party I have suffered for over the years to continue doing injustice to its members.I will fight to the last.” Wike declared.
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This comes as the PDP Board of Trustees recently declared support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, amid the ongoing power struggle between the two.
However, Wike declared that the FCT ‘Park-and-Pay’ on-street parking scheme is illegal spotting fraudulent elements in the contract agreements between the managing contractors and the FCT administration.
The scheme introduced in 2014 and reintroduced in 2023, was established through a substantial N908.3 billion agreement with concessionaires NAJEC Limited and Messrs Automaten Technik Bauman Nigeria Limited. The contract projected N26.93 billion in revenue over ten years for each company.
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The Minister said that he was not aware of the scheme’s reintroduction and criticised the contract’s terms, which stipulated that 80 percent of the revenue would go to the contractors, leaving only 20 percent for the administration.
Wike has since instructed that a public notice be issued to the effect that residents should not pay for parking in front of their homes or businesses.
He expressed his commitment to reducing corruption within the system while acknowledging the challenges posed by ongoing issues with civil servants, emphasising his determination to minimise corruption as he is bent on addressing systemic problems.
