*Says Tinubu Inherited a Broken Economy, Deserves Time to Deliver

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday mounted a vigorous defence of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, insisting that the administration inherited a badly damaged economy that could not be fixed overnight.

He also dismissed the presidential ambitions of Labour Party’s Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.

Wike, who spoke during his monthly media chat with selected television stations in Abuja, argued that although the administration’s policies had imposed short-term hardship on Nigerians, they were necessary to reverse years of economic decline and lay the foundation for sustainable growth.

The former Rivers State governor maintained that Tinubu had demonstrated the political courage that previous administrations lacked by ending the petrol subsidy regime, which he described as a major drain on the nation’s resources.

According to him, successive governments acknowledged that fuel subsidy was unsustainable but failed to muster the political will to abolish it.

He recalled his experience as governor, saying many state governments struggled to pay salaries because of dwindling allocations occasioned by subsidy payments.

“Fuel subsidy was a cancer. States were borrowing to survive. I was a governor and sometimes had to plead with bank managers just to secure funds to pay salaries. Today, sub-national governments have more resources for infrastructure, salaries and pensions because that burden has been removed,” he said.

Wike contended that while no government decision could be entirely flawless, effective leadership was defined by the willingness to make difficult choices in the national interest.

He said Tinubu deserved credit for taking what he described as a bold but necessary decision that had eluded previous presidents.

The minister also urged Nigerians to exercise patience with the administration, arguing that rebuilding an economy weakened over many years could not be accomplished within a short period.

“You cannot expect problems that accumulated over 15 years to disappear within one or two years. Recovery takes time. The economy was badly damaged before this administration came into office,” he stated.

Turning to the 2027 presidential contest, Wike dismissed the credentials of leading opposition figures, saying he preferred leaders whose actions matched their promises.

Speaking on Peter Obi, Wike accused the former Anambra State governor of engaging in what he described as “politics of sentiment,” alleging that some of his public engagements were carefully choreographed to attract sympathy rather than reflect genuine leadership.

He claimed that while serving as governor, he never sought public attention by celebrating birthdays in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps or orphanages.

“I know Peter Obi very well. I don’t like people playing to the gallery. I never celebrated my birthdays in IDP camps or motherless babies’ homes simply because I wanted public sympathy,” he said.

The FCT minister was equally unsparing in his criticism of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, arguing that comments previously made by Atiku’s former principal should serve as sufficient warning to Nigerians.

Without elaborating, Wike said: “The person who should give him the best testimonial has already warned Nigerians. What other testimony do you need?”

Despite acknowledging that Tinubu had not fulfilled every expectation since assuming office, Wike insisted that tangible progress had been made within three years of the administration.

“Yes, people are feeling the pain, but you can see the difference. No government can solve every problem immediately, but this President has shown courage and commitment,” he said.

The minister also criticised media organisations for inviting what he described as politically insignificant commentators to analyse national affairs, questioning the credibility of some analysts frequently featured on television.

He cited the example of a former presidential aspirant who, according to him, failed to secure any votes during his party’s primary election but continued to comment extensively on national politics.

Reaffirming his support for Tinubu, Wike declared that the President remained the country’s most credible leadership option ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Asiwaju is the only person we have now. He inherited enormous challenges, has taken difficult decisions and deserves the time to complete the reforms,” he said.

His remarks come as political activities intensify across the country, with parties and key actors already positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election, even as debates over the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms continue to dominate national discussions.