By Daniel Tyokua
Former Governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom has said the performance of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was adding value to president Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He said appointing of Wike from an opposition party and many others had proved that Tinubu looks beyond party affiliations in his choice of appointments.
Ortom stated this on Friday, in company of Wike on tour of some projects billed for inauguration as part of Tinubu’s second year in office.
He said his days as an FCT resident, much was not achieved but under a year since the Minister’s appointment, he needed a guide to take him around, describing Wike’s achievements as “monumental developments” in the Federal Capital Territory.
“I want to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for finding our friend worthy of serving as the Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, specifically the Federal Capital Territory. This is a great feat. I’ve been in politics since 1982, and I served as Minister with him. I’ve seen several other Ministers in the Federal Capital Territory, but this is the first time I’m seeing monumental development and progress made for the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria.
“I’ve been here as National Auditor of PDP since 2008. I became a resident of the Federal Capital Territory and came in, went back to my home, and all that. But honestly, I can tell you now, in the last one year, I need a guide to take me around the Federal Capital Territory because of the monumental development and progress we have had here.
“Mr. President is looking beyond party affiliation. That is why he brought my friend and leader, Minister Nyesom Wike, to be Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, despite the fact that he won the election on the platform of the APC. This is a strategic partnership,” he said.
Ortom also landed the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, stating that although there were challenges, citizens must support the President to overcome the said challenges.
He said, “I commend Mr. President for his renewed hope agenda that is making an impact. Yes, we have challenges as a country. We have challenges as a people, but truly, we can testify to the fact that at the time Mr. President came in, the country was at its lowest, and today, he is trying to lift the country back on its feet again.
“There are challenges. He has admitted that yes, there could be security challenges, economic challenges, and other challenges that we face as a people. But we need to work together, join hands with him to make sure that we overcome these challenges that we are facing, irrespective of party affiliation, irrespective of who we are.”
