The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused previous administrations of neglecting young people and women in the territory for decades, saying President Bola Tinubu has changed the situation by establishing dedicated secretariats to address their needs.
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Wike described the creation of the FCT Youth Secretariat and Women Affairs Secretariat as a major institutional development, noting that the territory, established in 1976, had operated for decades without dedicated administrative structures for the two groups.
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He made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja during an interactive session with FCT youths, where he urged them to assess political leaders based on tangible achievements rather than social media campaigns, political sentiments and promises.
Reflecting on the history of the FCT, the minister challenged the youths to examine how previous administrations had incorporated young people and women into the territory’s governance structure.
He argued that successive governments had failed to establish institutions specifically designed to address the concerns of these groups, while the Tinubu administration had taken steps towards providing a framework for their continued participation and development.
Wike maintained that the establishment of the two secretariats should be viewed as a deliberate policy intervention rather than a political gesture, adding that earlier action could have prevented some of the challenges currently facing young people and women.
He urged the youths to distinguish between political leaders who make promises and those who take difficult decisions to address national challenges.
The minister also cautioned against allowing social media discussions and political propaganda to influence their assessment of public officials, insisting that leadership should be judged by practical results.
Wike defended Tinubu’s economic reform agenda, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy, describing the decision as a bold step that previous presidential contenders had avoided despite recognising the financial burden of the policy.
He argued that subsidy payments had consumed public funds that could have been channelled into education, infrastructure and other essential sectors.
According to the minister, subsidy removal had increased the revenue available to state and local governments, giving them greater financial capacity to meet their obligations and execute development projects.
He also pointed to the relative stability of the university system, particularly the absence of recurring nationwide industrial strikes that previously disrupted academic activities, as an achievement worth acknowledging.
Wike maintained that successful economic reforms required determination, consistency and patience, noting that policies that attracted criticism initially could deliver long-term benefits when properly implemented.
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He further described purposeful leadership as essential to institutional growth, arguing that governments and organisations needed clear direction to achieve meaningful progress.
Meanwhile, the youths used the meeting to present proposals and demands covering education, scholarships, employment, vocational training, transportation and the protection of indigenous communities.
The President of the FCT Youth Network, Comrade Isaac David, disclosed that youth organisations had developed an FCT Youth Development Policy in partnership with international organisations, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
He appealed to Wike to support the establishment of an FCT Education Trust Fund, which he said would attract additional funding for the education sector through contributions from corporate organisations and development partners.
David also urged young people to support Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, calling on them to demonstrate their political participation by using their Permanent Voter Cards.
Similarly, youth leader Destiny Yamawo called for increased budgetary allocations to the FCT Scholarship Board to enable more students to benefit from its programmes, including those seeking scholarships abroad.
He also appealed to the administration to improve teachers’ welfare through the Universal Basic Education framework to prevent recurring industrial disputes that disrupt learning in schools.
On the proposed review of the FCT master plan, Yamawo urged the administration to ensure that indigenous communities were adequately considered in development plans and properly compensated whenever relocation became necessary.
The President of the Indigenous Youths of the FCT, Hassan Aliyu, also requested the minister’s intervention in approving scholarship applications submitted by FCT indigenes. He disclosed that the list of successful applicants had reportedly been sent to Wike’s office.
Aliyu further appealed for dedicated buses to enable students to attend academic conferences, leadership programmes and other educational activities.
The Chairman of the FCT Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Youth Wing, Apostle Peter Anyebe, commended Wike’s infrastructure and urban development initiatives, noting the changes taking place in the nation’s capital.
The Chairman of the Muslim Ulama Youth Wing, Adam Ahmed, also praised the minister’s development record, referring to projects executed during his tenure as Rivers State governor and his ongoing infrastructure projects in the FCT.
The youths expressed their readiness to work with the administration to turn the proposals presented at the meeting into practical initiatives capable of improving opportunities and living conditions across the FCT’s six area councils.
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