President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has implored opposition political parties to be more vibrant and offer constructive engagement in the national interest.
He lamented that the current disarray among opposition groups is counterproductive to Nigeria’s democracy.
He spoke through Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday at the official commissioning of the Wole Soyinka Interchange Bridge in Abuja.
He expressed commitment to a strong and effective opposition as a pillar of democratic development.
He added:“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is very interested in seeing a vibrant opposition. It seldom seems when he sees the way the opposition in Nigeria is in disarray,” Akpabio said. “As a true democrat, he would like to see a very vibrant opposition in the country.”
Referring to gale of recent defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),he described the development as a symbolic reflection of the growing cracks within the opposition.
“So it’s not only the PDP that is in disarray. Even the Labour Party is cracked. And people who are strong members of the Labour Party are angling to run Nigeria when they cannot put a small political party like that in order,” he said.
He commended the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration for executing transformative infrastructure projects under the leadership of FCT Minister, Barrister. Nyesom Wike.
“This interchange is a magnificent piece of engineering a testament to our unwavering commitment to progress and a beacon of our collective aspiration for a more connected and prosperous Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
The interchange, he noted, is a strategic response to rising traffic congestion, aimed at improving safety and daily commute for residents of Abuja. “This bridge will unlock new opportunities for commerce, reduce travel time, and contribute directly to increased productivity and a better quality of life for all who traverse these routes.”
President Tinubu, praised the dedication of contractors, engineers, and laborers for delivering the project on time and to high standards.
He commended the FCT Minister’s pace and volume of developmental projects, describing it as unprecedented. “It is very rare to see a ministry invite the President for 17 good days not just to flag-off but to commission quality projects,” he said, adding that the FCT has experienced a visible transformation under Wike.
“What is happening in the FCT is what people would say even the blind can see. But the blind would notice potholes on the road. FCT has turned around. We are proud,” he stated.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike , challenged anyone to prove that the roads and bridges commissioned so far were completed by past governments.
“Let anybody challenge the FCT Administration that any of these roads or bridges we are commissioning were completed by any past administration,” he said. “From 2010 to 2023, if anyone can say, ‘We started and finished this project,’ let them speak up. But I know nobody will say that.”
Wike also thanked the National Assembly for approving budget allocations that are being fully implemented in the FCT.
He reaffirmed that the transformation of the FCT was a collective achievement involving the Executive, the National Assembly, and hardworking Nigerians.
“FCT is working, yes. FCT is doing well, yes. But there are those behind it President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly led by the Senate President and Speaker,” Wike declared.