Barely hours after been sworn-in as the Minister in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), former Rivers State governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, is spitting fire, promising to go after owners of illegal structures, and land racketeers within and outside the government system.
He addressed a press conference in the Federal Capital Territory Administration secretariat, after his swearing in by President Bola Tinubu at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.
”Anyone involve in obstructing the Abuja masterplan by building structures will pay for it.
“Their buildings will go down, whatever they built on it will be pulled down in due course.
”All those that have been given Certificate of Occupancy for their land but refused to build on it will have the certificates revoked soon.”
Meanwhile, 44 other ministers were sworn-in in batches by President Bola Tinubu on Monday and were reminded to be patriotic rather than sectional.
“Your assignment began immediately. As your country honours you today by this call to service, you must each work to make yourselves worthy in the eyes of God and all our nation’s people.
“Your highest obligation is to restore public faith in government so that our people can once again believe that the right hands are in government…
“We are in this boat, even if it is a vehicle and I am the driver, the entire Nigerians are behind sitting and watching as you and I navigate this vehicle. We must hold each other responsible, we have to do the job to meet the expectations of all Nigerians.
“As I said earlier on, you are not a minister of a particular state, colony, region or ethnic nationality, you are a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
“With the inauguration of Ministers today, we are about to accelerate our governing efforts to move forward in realizing our best aspiration for Nigeria. It’s all about a great team and I believe we have them here. It is a high honour to be chosen to serve as a minister in the federal executive council of our beloved republic.
“With such high honour comes tremendous responsibility in this moment of abundant promise and peril in equal measure. All of you who have been sworn in have been called to distinguish yourselves. It is me who knows you and delegates this authority but the greatest number of Nigerians are highly expectant of delivery, accountability and transparency.
“Nigerians expect that you will serve with integrity, dignity and deliver. I will hold you to that standard. Your assignment began immediately. As your country honours you today by this call to service, you must each work to make yourselves worthy in the eyes of God and all our nation’s people.”
The first of nine batches, comprising of five ministers each, to be sworn-in were the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State Gas in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, and Minister of Education, Tahir Maman.
In the second batch were the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of State (Oil), Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari.
The Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; Sports Development, John Enoh; Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Works, Dave Umahi, and Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh.
The fourth batch comprised of Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, Minister of Transportation, Alkali Sa’id, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite, and Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru.
Minister of State Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo, Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mariya Mahmud, Minister of Housing and Urban development, Ahmed Dangiwa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu were in the fifth batch; and the sixth batch had Minister of State Education, Yusuf Sunumu, Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, and Minister of State Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim.
The seventh batch included Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, Minister of State Environment, Ishak Salako, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.
The eighth and ninith batches comprised of Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Power, Adedayo Adelabu, Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesome Wike. Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo, Minister of State for Steel Development, Maigari Ahmadu, Minister of Police affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, and Minster of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs Zephaniah Jisalo.