By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The former Coordinating Director, Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Prof. Aminu Gusau has commended the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for his bold governance, infrastructural renewal in the territory and decisive leadership .
Gusau stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, at the 2026 Annual Distinguished Personality Lecture Series, organised by the Facility of Social Science, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
Wike who was the distinguished personality, presented the lecture entitled, “The Impact of Political Leadership on Infrastructural Development in Nigeria: Between Dividends of Democracy and Good Governance.”
Gusau, a visiting professor at the University of Kansas, United States, who served as chairman of the occasion described Wike as a “public servant whose tenure in the FCT has been marked by visible transformation and accelerated project delivery.”
He said that since assuming office in August 2023, Wike has embarked on an ambitious drive to restore the Abuja Master Plan, strengthen infrastructure, and revive long-abandoned projects.
He added that major road networks have been completed and rehabilitated across the territory, including key arterial roads connecting the city centre to satellite towns.
“The completion and commissioning of projects such as the Apo-Wasa Road, the rehabilitation of inner-city corridors, and the revitalization of strategic junctions have significantly improved mobility and economic activity within the FCT.
“Attention has also been extended to satellite towns including Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Bwari, and Karu, where road construction, drainage improvements, and public infrastructure upgrades are ongoing.
“Several previously stalled contracts have been revived and brought to completion, reinforcing a governance approach that prioritizes continuity and accountability,” he said.
Gusau added that beyond transportation infrastructure, the Wike-led FCT Administration has strengthened development control enforcement and land administration reforms.
This, he said, was aimed at improving transparency, restoring urban order, and enhancing internally generated revenue.
He said that investments in street lighting, environmental sanitation, and public space management have contributed to improved security and urban aesthetics.
According to him, leadership is rarely comfortable. It requires firmness, resolve, and sometimes unpopular decisions.
“Wike’s public service record from his tenure as governor of Rivers to his current role as FCT Minister, reflects a consistent pattern: decisive execution, infrastructure expansion, and institutional assertiveness.
“Having spent over 27 years in the United States and served as a university lecturer for more than a decade, I have had the privilege of observing leadership models across different systems.
“Over the years, I have come to understand that truly effective leaders share one common trait: they possess good intentions for the people and translate that intention into concrete action.
“Indeed, Wike belongs to that category of leaders. You may like his personality; you may not like his personality, but one thing is certain: he works, and he works for the people.”
Gusau said that in governance, results matter, infrastructure matters, and systems matter.
According to him, leadership becomes tangible when citizens can see completed roads, revived projects, improved lighting, strengthened regulation, and enhanced order in public administration.
“Universities are centres of ideas and critical engagement. It is therefore fitting that this recognition occurs within the University of Abuja.
“Leadership in public service must be examined objectively. It must be assessed by outcomes that improve daily life. In that regard, Wike’s tenure provides substantial evidence of performance-driven governance.”
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Daybreak Abuja
Tinubu’s “Servant- Oriented” leadership Style Boosting Nigeria’s sustainable growth, devt – Wike
By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike has praised President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s servant oriented leadership style for boosting Nigeria’s sustainable growth and inclusive development.
Wike stated this in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2026 Annual Distinguished Personality Lecture Series, organized by the Facility of Social Science, Yakubu Gowon University of Abuja.
The theme of the lecture is “Exemplary Leadership and Infrastructural Development in Nigeria; Between Dividends of Democrats and Good Governance”.
While delivering his lecture, Wike said that Tinubu’s long-standing commitment to the democratic struggle, though tick and thin, formed part of his established credentials well before he became Nigeria’s president.
Mr. President’s record in Lagos State demonstrated a capacity for translating vision into sustained development, particularly in the areas of internally generated revenue, infrastructure, and institutional reforms.
The minister said that President Tinubu’s determination to remove the fuel subsidy on the first day in office was because the long time economically destructive policy was avoided by successive administrations lacking political courage.
He, however, acknowledged that while the reform has generated short-term pains and resistance, it has also freed resources for subnational development, halted the spiral of unsustainable debt, and initiated the difficult process of restoring market discipline to the energy sector.
“This decision exemplifies leadership willing to endure temporary unpopularity in pursuit of long-term national interest.”
“Beyond this, the administration has begun confronting Nigeria’s structural imbalances through the devolution of development initiatives via zonal and regional commissions.”
“This is responding to long-standing complaints about over centralisation and weakened federalism. Security reforms, increased funding, and systematic training of the armed forces further reflect an effort to rebuild state capacity and restore public confidence.”
“Taken together, these measures suggest a deliberate attempt to reposition Nigeria on a path of reform, responsibility, and renewal, where leadership consciously serves as the hinge between democratic authority and developmental outcomes.”
According to him, no visionary or courageous leader would succeed in isolation, adding that the national transformation ultimately depends on the active cooperation of citizens.
Meanwhile,Wike has called on Nigerians to put behind the years of cynicism and disengagement, but to embrace a renewed sense of collective responsibility, stressing that “progress is forged where leadership and followership work in synergy.”
“The current situation, therefore, demands more than criticism but commitments. The time for belief is now, and the time for action is now.”
“With purposeful political leadership and responsible citizenship working in concert, Nigeria can begin the serious task of institutionalizing a political order in which democracy delivers development, and leadership truly functions as the bridge between aspiration and achievement.”
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof.
Hakeem Fawehinmi, said that the annual lecture series was one of the important ways the University advances its intellectual tradition.
Prof.Fawehinmi added that the lectures provide a veritable platform for critical discourse and engagement on national issues, particularly the connection between leadership and development.
He said that the theme speaks directly to the aspirations of the nation and the expectations of citizens for leadership that delivers on welfare, safety, and the provision of critical infrastructure for sustainable development.
Moreover, Chairman of the occasion
Prof. Aminu Gusau, former Coordinating Director, Economic and Financial Crime Commission( EFCC) described Wike as a “public servant” whose tenure in the FCT has been marked by visible transformation and accelerated project delivery.
“Since assuming office in August 2023, Wike has embarked on an ambitious drive to restore the Abuja Master Plan, strengthen infrastructure, and revive long-abandoned projects.”
“Major road networks have been completed and rehabilitated across the
territory, including key arterial roads connecting the city centre to satellite towns.”
“You may like his personality; you may not like his personality, but one thing is certain: he works, and he works for the people,” he said.
Earlier, Prof. Mutiullah Olasupo, Dean, Faculty of Social Science, described Wike as an “icon” of democracy and infrastructural development in Nigeria.
Olasupo said that the conversation would enlighten the university community and Nigerians on their roles in the 2027 general elections and how to deepen democracy and good governance.
He explained that Wike was chosen to deliver the lecture due to his political trajectory marked by doggedness and resilience as champion of democracy and good governance.
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