…Challenges Youths To Compare Tinubu’s Record With Previous Administrations
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused successive administrations of neglecting the interests of young people and women in the territory for decades, declaring that President Bola Tinubu has broken the cycle by creating dedicated secretariats to address their needs.
Wike said the establishment of the FCT Youth Secretariat and Women Affairs Secretariat represented a significant institutional intervention in the history of the territory, which was created in 1976 but allegedly operated for decades without dedicated administrative structures for the two groups. 
The minister made the declaration on Wednesday, in Abuja during an interactive session with FCT youths, where he challenged them to assess political leadership through concrete achievements rather than social media campaigns, political sentiments and unfulfilled promises.
Taking the discussion back to the history of the FCT, Wike asked the youths to examine what previous administrations had done to integrate them and women into the governance structure.
“The FCT was created in 1976. What was the position of the youths and women then? Was there any establishment of a youth secretariat? Was there any establishment of a Women Secretariat? What forum was given to the youths and women to be included in the administration?” he queried.
He maintained that successive governments had opportunities to address the concerns of young people but failed to establish the necessary institutional framework, adding that the Tinubu administration had taken a different approach by laying the foundation for sustained engagement and development.
According to him, the creation of the secretariats should not be dismissed as a political gesture but recognised as a deliberate effort to address issues that had remained unattended for years.
“If these youth and women secretariats had been created then, probably most of the things you are talking about today would not have been raised again. Somebody has now come to lay a foundation to take care of those things that were not previously cared for,” he said.
Wike consequently urged the youths to distinguish between leaders who make promises and those willing to take difficult decisions in the interest of the country.
He warned against allowing social media narratives to determine their political choices, insisting that the standard for assessing public office holders should be measurable performance.
“This is not social media. This is not about telling lies or being a content developer. We are being practical. It is time for us to stop giving fish lies and begin to be realistic,” he said.
The minister also threw his weight behind President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy, describing it as a courageous decision that previous presidential candidates had avoided despite acknowledging the unsustainable nature of the policy.
He argued that the subsidy regime had drained public resources that could otherwise have been invested in education, infrastructure and other critical sectors.
Wike said the removal of the subsidy had increased allocations available to states and local governments, creating opportunities for governments at the sub-national level to meet their financial obligations and implement development programmes.
He also cited the relative stability in the university system, particularly the absence of the recurring nationwide strikes that previously disrupted academic calendars, as an issue deserving recognition.
“For the past three years, have we had any strike in our universities? No. Why is that not something we should recognise? Money has remained available to the sub-nationals. States and local governments now have more money,” he said.
He stressed that economic reforms required courage, consistency and patience, noting that difficult decisions might initially attract criticism but could produce long-term benefits if properly implemented.
Wike further emphasised that leadership remained the foundation of institutional development, arguing that no government, organisation or institution could achieve meaningful progress without purposeful direction.
Meanwhile, the youths used the interactive session to present proposals and demands on education, scholarships, employment, skills acquisition, transportation and the protection of indigenous communities.
President of the FCT Youth Network, Comrade Isaac David, disclosed that youth organisations had developed an FCT Youth Development Policy in collaboration with international organisations, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
He appealed to the minister to support the establishment of an FCT Education Trust Fund, saying it would provide additional resources for the education sector through contributions from corporate organisations and other development partners.
David also called on youths to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, urging them to demonstrate their political commitment through their Permanent Voter Cards.
Similarly, Destiny Yamawo, a youth leader, called for increased budgetary provisions for the FCT Scholarship Board to accommodate more beneficiaries, including students seeking foreign scholarships.
He also urged the administration to improve teachers’ welfare through the Universal Basic Education structure to prevent recurring industrial disputes that keep pupils away from school.
On the ongoing review of the FCT master plan, Yamawo appealed for indigenous communities to be integrated into development plans, with adequate compensation provided where relocation becomes unavoidable.
President of the Indigenous Youths of the FCT, Hassan Aliyu, sought Wike’s intervention in approving scholarship applications for FCT indigenes, disclosing that the list of successful applicants had reportedly been forwarded to the minister’s office.
He also requested dedicated buses for students to attend academic conferences, leadership programmes and other educational engagements.
The Chairman of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apostle Peter Anyebe Chairman youth Wing of CAN FCT commended Wike’s infrastructure and urban development initiatives, saying the transformation of the nation’s capital was visible.
The Chairman of the Youth Wing of the Muslim Ulama Adam Ahmed, Chairman Muslim youth society of Nigeria also praised the minister’s development record, citing projects undertaken during his tenure as Rivers State governor and his ongoing infrastructure interventions in the FCT.
The youths expressed their willingness to collaborate with the administration to translate the proposals presented at the meeting into practical programmes that would improve opportunities and living conditions for young people across the six area councils.
