The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has challenged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to account for their contributions to Rivers State, particularly the development of Tai and Ogoni communities.
Wike spoke at a town hall meeting in the Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he called for support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The minister questioned Atiku’s record during his eight years as vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, asking what he had done to improve the lives of people in Tai and Ogoni.
“Atiku, you have been vice president for 8 years, is it not correct? Is it not correct? Did you remember the Tai people? Did you remember Ogoni people?” Wike asked.
He also questioned the significance of Obi’s popularity on social media, arguing that online visibility alone was insufficient to demonstrate a candidate’s capacity to lead the country.
“Yes, Peter Obi everywhere in social media, everywhere in social media. Peter Obi, what was he on? No, go and ask him,” he said.
Wike urged residents to look beyond political popularity and assess candidates based on their records and contributions to national and community development.
He cited the establishment of the Federal University of Environment and Technology in Tai as a significant development for the Ogoni area, saying the institution would create employment opportunities and expand access to higher education as it grows.
The minister urged residents not to underestimate the university’s long-term benefits, noting that establishing a federal institution required considerable legislative and executive effort.
He encouraged the people to consider the development opportunities available to their communities when deciding whom to support in the forthcoming elections, maintaining that political leaders should be assessed on their records rather than their popularity.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Tai Local Government Area, Mbakpone Friday Okpe, outlined his administration’s efforts to support the university and expand educational opportunities for local students.
Okpe said the council had completed the screening of postgraduate students for bursaries and grants to help them benefit from the institution’s presence in the area.
He added that the council had constructed the university’s entrance gate and a dual carriageway within the institution, alongside a one-kilometre tarred road, to complement the Federal Government’s investment.
The chairman listed markets and lodge facilities among projects completed by his administration, while identifying a health centre, a modern town hall and community roads as planned projects.
Okpe said the university represented an important opportunity for Tai and the wider Ogoni area, assuring residents that the local government would continue to support its development and full take-off.
