Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has assured residents that several ongoing road projects across Abuja will be completed and delivered in December, describing the completion as a Christmas gift from President Bola Tinubu. Wike gave the assurance on Tuesday after inspecting construction work on three major corridors: Arterial Road N1 from Wuye to Ring Road II, the Tungan Madaki-Zuba Road, and the Zaudna-Kaba-Kagini road linking to the Kubwa Expressway.
Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work, commending the contractors for their commitment to meeting the agreed timelines. "I'm very impressed with the jobs so far, and I'm also impressed with the commitment of the contractors," he said. "We have promised the residents that this will be their Christmas gift by Mr President as part of their Christmas gift so that they'll go back home and enjoy their Christmas celebration."
The minister said the completion of the projects would ease transportation difficulties and stimulate economic activity in communities along the affected corridors. He noted that the impact of infrastructure development would be particularly significant in suburban and rural communities, where poor road infrastructure had affected movement and local businesses. "You can imagine the happiness of those who stay here. You know that with these roads the economy of the affected communities will change," Wike said. "When you see a rural area like this, it makes us very happy when the people are happy and of course, that's the essence of good governance."
Wike acknowledged that heavy rainfall had slowed earthworks on some of the projects but expressed confidence that construction would accelerate as the rainy season subsided. "You know, I was having doubts, but the contractors are fully committed. If not for the rains, I know they would have gone far," he said. "I believe that from the first week of October, the rains will not be much again, and you will see how they will continue with earthworks."
At Tungan Shanu village along the Tungan Madaki-Zuba road corridor, Wike told residents that the contractor would be pressed to meet the December deadline. The Tungan Madaki-Zuba Road project, being handled by China Geo-Engineering Corporation, has seen five of six box culverts completed, according to previous inspections. The Arterial Road N1 project, stretching from Wuye District to Ring Road II and executed by Arab Contractors, is also targeted for handover by December. Wike has previously said that no infrastructure project would be abandoned under the Tinubu administration, and that both the FCT Administration and its construction partners were working in synergy to ensure timely delivery.
The minister used the inspection tour to make direct appeals to residents regarding the 2027 general elections, urging them to support President Tinubu's re-election bid and to back former FCT Senator Philip Aduda for the Senate. "We will push the contractor to deliver the road by December so that you'll be happy. That is what the President is doing for you," Wike said at Tungan Shanu. "So, when the election comes too, don't forget to vote for Tinubu and Aduda." At Kaba along the Kagini-Kubwa Expressway corridor, he repeated the appeal, describing Aduda as the person who would connect residents directly with the President. "I hope all of you will vote for Tinubu and Aduda," he said.
The road inspections and political appeals come amid a broader push by the FCT Administration to complete major infrastructure projects ahead of the 2027 elections. In August 2026, Wike disclosed that at least ten major road and infrastructure projects would be completed and handed over before the polls, including the Inner Southern Expressway, also known as Goodluck Jonathan Way, which was awarded in December 2014 and has been under construction for over a decade. The minister has consistently linked infrastructure delivery to the administration's broader political message, arguing that the projects are evidence of the government's commitment to improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
The December deadline also carries political significance beyond the FCT. Wike has been at the centre of a dispute within the ruling All Progressives Congress over his Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party movement he says is designed to mobilise support for Tinubu's re-election while allowing politicians to contest other elections under different party platforms. The APC Governors' Forum, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, has rejected any arrangement capable of undermining the party or its candidates. Wike has responded by describing the governors as "politically lazy" and insisting the coalition is not an APC structure. The road inspections and the direct appeals to voters in the FCT are consistent with Wike's broader campaign role as a mobiliser for the President's re-election bid.
The Tungan Madaki-Zuba Road and the Kagini-Kubwa Expressway corridor serve communities on the outskirts of Abuja, where residents have long complained of poor road conditions that hinder access to markets, schools and healthcare facilities. The completion of these roads would represent a tangible improvement in the quality of life for thousands of residents who rely on them for daily movement and economic activity. The Arterial Road N1 from Wuye to Ring Road II is a key artery connecting the city centre to the outer districts, and its completion is expected to reduce traffic congestion in the capital.
For the residents of Tungan Shanu, Kaba and other communities along the inspected corridors, Wike's promise of a December delivery offers a measure of hope that the roads that have disrupted their daily routines will be completed on schedule. The minister's emphasis on the economic benefits of the projects reflects an understanding that infrastructure is not merely about concrete and asphalt but about connecting people to opportunities. Whether the December deadline is met will depend on the contractors' ability to accelerate work once the rains subside and the FCT Administration's capacity to sustain the pressure it has promised to apply. For now, the message from the minister is unambiguous: the roads will be delivered, and they will be a Christmas gift from the President. As Wike put it, "That is what the President is doing for you."
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments