Amid nationwide protests on Thursday, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The meeting, which took place in the President’s Office, followed violent demonstrations sparked by widespread hunger, with the FCT being one of the most affected areas.
Wike arrived at the Villa in a black Toyota Prado SUV. Although the specifics of their discussion remain confidential, it is widely believed that the protests and the government’s response were key topics of conversation.
Earlier reports detailed how protesters in the FCT challenged Wike’s administration, with significant crowds gathering in both the central business district and various suburbs to express their frustration over rising hunger and economic hardship.
In response to the unrest, Wike expressed the Federal Government’s willingness to engage in dialogue with the demonstrators. He made this statement during a ceremony in Abuja where the Staff of Office was handed over to newly coronated Chiefs of Karu, Kwali, Pai, and Yaba.
Wike praised the protesters for maintaining a peaceful approach and urged them to continue this path, emphasizing the importance of dialogue in resolving their grievances.
“I want you to continue with that peace process, because he who makes peace will, at the end of the day, enjoy the dividends of peace. I commend you and urge you to still talk to our people, that we are ready to have a dialogue and iron out the grey areas. We’ll also brief them on certain things they do not know so that they will be well informed to make informed decisions,” Wike said.
He also highlighted the symbolic importance of Abuja as the “centre of unity,” warning that the loss of stability in the capital would have grave implications for the entire nation. “Abuja is for everybody; if we lose Abuja, we have lost Nigeria. That is why we have always said, let us work together. There is nothing we can’t achieve under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu. Give him time, and a lot of things will change,” he added.
Addressing the newly coronated chiefs, Wike underscored the crucial role of traditional rulers in governance, noting that they serve as the vital link between the government and the grassroots.
“You are the ones who know what the people feel at home; you are the ones who will tell us whether the government is making any impact or not. You will convey to your subjects what the government is doing and what it plans to do; you are the ones to communicate government policies and programmes to your people. If you convey the wrong message, that is what the people will accept. If you convey the right message, that is what the people will accept. So, you play a very pivotal role,” Wike concluded.
