FCT minister has freedom to support candidates he wants, says APC
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said Governor Monday Okpebholo has laid a foundation for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
 
Wike spoke in Benin while commissioning 54 construction equipment procured by the Edo State Government for the 18 local councils of the state.
 
The former Rivers State governor, who described the initiative as a major boost to grassroots economic development, praised the governor’s commitment to rural development and economic empowerment at the grassroots.
 
He said, “You have demonstrated that you love the economy of the local government. You have demonstrated that development must go to the rural areas. You have laid the foundation for the President to be re-elected.
 
“Let me tell you, as the other opponent was busy deceiving people buying corn on the road, the President was busy developing the FCT. FCT has 62 councillors, APC took 45, PDP took 17. This shows the ruling party from the opposition party.”

In his address, Okpebholo described the handover as a strategic step in strengthening local council administration and delivering development to rural communities.
 
The governor said, “Today marks a significant step in our commitment to grassroots development in Edo State in line with our SHINE Agenda.” He stressed that development must not be centralised.

MEANWHILE, the APC has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is constitutionally entitled to support any candidate of his choice in an election.
 
In an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme yesterday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said Wike’s political choices should be viewed within the context of his rights as a citizen.
 
According to Morka, “Wike is, first and foremost, a Nigerian, a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who also, just like you and I, has freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of our country: freedom to engage, freedom to participate in our democracy, freedom to hold his own opinions and to express them, and to take lawful, legitimate action to back his opinion, especially in the situation of an election or a contest.”
 
He added that the issue was not about Wike’s relationship with the Federal Capital Territory, but about his personal political convictions