Tension Rises: Wike Warns Newly Elected Kuje Chairman Of Consequences
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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has advised the Kuje Area Council Chairman-elect, Danjuma Shekwolo, to remain accessible to residents and maintain close ties with the people after assuming office.
Wike gave the counsel on Thursday during a “thank you” visit to Kuje following the February 21 Area Council elections in the FCT. He stressed that the true test of leadership begins after winning an election, when access to power and public resources can influence an official’s behavior.
“You are humble now, but you have not entered office. It’s only when you assume the role that your true humility will be tested. Power and money are two forces that can change a man in an instant,” Wike said.
He urged Shekwolo to remain a “home” chairman rather than an “away” chairman, emphasizing the importance of listening to constituents.
In the February elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won five of the six FCT Area Council chairmanships—Abuja Municipal, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali, and Kuje—while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured Gwagwalada.
Wike further warned that continued support from his office would depend on the chairman-elect’s connection with the grassroots. “If you become disconnected from your people, you will lose political backing. If you are an ‘away’ chairman, you will be in trouble because I will let your constituents know we made a mistake,” he said.
The minister also criticised the outgoing council chairman for allegedly withdrawing support from Shekwolo shortly before the election, leaving him politically isolated. “If the outgoing chairman had offered the support we agreed upon, perhaps I would not have had to intervene as strongly. I saw him as an orphan who had lost hope,” Wike remarked.
Beyond political advice, Wike highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment to infrastructure development in the FCT, particularly in Kuje. He noted that some major road projects are already underway, including the completed Garage Road, ongoing Kuje-Gwagwalada road project, and the resumption of work on the Airport-Kuje road by Arab Contractors, with completion expected before the administration’s third anniversary.
“Politics should be a covenant between elected officials and their constituents. It is not about abandoning the people once you are in office,” Wike concluded, reiterating the importance of public servants maintaining a strong bond with those who elected them.
