| FCT Minister says subsidy removal has boosted allocations to states, local governments
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing the removal of petrol subsidy as a difficult but necessary decision that has strengthened the financial capacity of states and local governments.
Wike spoke on Saturday during a town hall meeting with stakeholders of the Rainbow Coalition in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he urged residents to support Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The minister, who coordinates Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Rivers State and the FCT, argued that previous administrations had recognised the unsustainability of petrol subsidy but lacked the political courage to abolish it.
According to him, Tinubu demonstrated the leadership required to confront the problem despite the immediate economic hardship the decision would impose on Nigerians.
“Each time a president comes, fuel subsidy is a scam. What have you done with it? Another president will come, fuel subsidy is a scam. What have you done? Nobody has been able to take a courageous decision,” Wike said.
He recalled that Tinubu announced the removal of the subsidy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023, acknowledging the likely consequences while insisting that the sacrifice was necessary for the country’s progress.
Wike admitted that Nigerians had experienced higher petrol prices and increased costs of essential commodities but maintained that the policy had improved revenue available to the three tiers of government.
He claimed that states now receive at least N15 billion in monthly allocations, apart from other revenue sources, although he did not provide a detailed breakdown of the figures or establish whether the amount applied to every state.
Comparing the current revenue situation with his experience as Rivers State governor, Wike said the allocations available to subnational governments had increased significantly from what he received when he assumed office in 2015.
He argued that state and local governments should translate the additional resources into tangible improvements in infrastructure, education and other public services.
The minister also linked the reforms to industrial relations in the education sector, claiming that public universities had avoided strikes in the three years preceding his remarks. He argued that the financial challenges associated with the previous subsidy regime had contributed to recurring disputes and disruptions to academic activities.
Wike maintained that economic policies should be judged by their long-term implications rather than their immediate effects alone.
“Sometimes, it requires leadership that can take decisions that are so hard and necessary for the progress of the organisation, the kingdom or the country,” he said.
The FCT minister also cited the completion of the Bonny-Bodo Road as evidence of the Tinubu administration’s development record, saying the project had transformed access to the island community.
He recalled that travelling to Bonny had previously involved dependence on boats and helicopters, with residents and officials sometimes facing difficulties associated with tides and rough waters.
According to Wike, successive administrations had promised to deliver the road without completing it until the current administration.
“The advantage is that we can now go by road to Bonny. Administrations have come, and this road has become a political road. It is not today. So many governments have said, ‘We will try,’ but thank God, under the administration of the present president, this road has been completed,” he said.
He urged residents to assess political leaders based on their records and the projects delivered during their time in office rather than campaign promises.
Wike also criticised unnamed opposition politicians whom he accused of repeatedly seeking public office without demonstrating sufficient achievements to justify their ambitions.
Using a gambling analogy, he cautioned Nigerians against continually backing politicians whose previous attempts at securing office had failed.
He further questioned the handling of major projects and public assets under the previous Rivers State administration, citing a proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Hospital, a monorail project and the sale of a power plant.
Wike alleged that $39 million had been paid for the proposed hospital without the project advancing to the foundation stage. He also referred to the sale of a power plant to Sahara Energy for $308 million, claiming that only $308,000 remained in the state’s account when he took office in 2015.
The minister’s allegations were not independently established in the remarks provided.
Earlier, Wike visited the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, at his palace as part of his engagement with traditional and community leaders.
He said the meeting was intended to discuss national developments and encourage residents to make informed political choices ahead of the 2027 general election.
Wike urged traditional rulers and community leaders to educate their people on governance and development, stressing the importance of policies that address the needs of local communities.
Responding, the monarch welcomed the minister and recalled their longstanding relationship, praising his contributions to the development of Bonny Kingdom.
King Pepple said Wike had supported efforts to establish the Bonny Polytechnic while serving as a minister and had also contributed to initiatives addressing security challenges and advancing the Bonny-Bodo Road project.
“The minister has been of complementary support to us, ranging from when we tried to establish the Bonny Polytechnic. He played a major role towards having this polytechnic started at the time he was minister,” the monarch said.
He described Bonny Kingdom as strategically important to Nigeria, noting that its contributions to the country’s development deserved greater recognition.
The monarch also commended Wike’s emphasis on project delivery and his continued engagement with Rivers State and its people.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs’ Council, Se-Alabo (Amb.) Lt. Col. (Rtd.) Dagogo Soala Claude-Wilcox, invited the minister to the 30th anniversary of the monarch’s coronation, scheduled for December 21, 2026.
Claude-Wilcox said the celebration would recognise the king’s three decades of leadership and his contributions to unity and development in Bonny Kingdom.
The Chairman of the Rainbow Coalition, George Tubara Tolofari, also praised Wike for facilitating reconciliation among members of the group following a period of division.
He said reconciliation meetings in Port Harcourt and Bonny had brought together members of previously opposing political camps, including those associated with the defunct Simplified Movement.
“I want to tell you that we are all one together as one big, indivisible family,” Tolofari said, expressing optimism that the renewed unity would strengthen the coalition.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Abinye Blessing Pepple, highlighted government initiatives in infrastructure, empowerment and economic opportunities, although further details of some of the programmes require verification.