As protests erupted nationwide on Thursday, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was seen at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to The PUNCH, Wike arrived in a black Toyota Prado SUV and entered the President’s Office. While the exact nature of their conversation was not disclosed, it was speculated to be related to the hunger protests that began that day, with the FCT as a key focal point.
The Federal Capital Territory experienced significant demonstrations, with large crowds gathering in both the central business district and the suburbs.
Security forces responded by deploying tear gas to disperse the protesters.
In response, the former Rivers State Governor indicated that the Federal Government was willing to engage in dialogue with the demonstrators.
He made this statement during the handover ceremony of the Staff of Office to four newly coronated Chiefs of Karu, Kwali, Pai, and Yaba in Abuja.
Wike praised the protesters for maintaining non-violent demonstrations and encouraged them to continue their peaceful approach, emphasizing the importance of dialogue to resolve issues with the government.
“I want you to continue with that peace process, because he who makes peace will, at the end of the day, enjoy the dividends of peace. I want to commend you and urge you to still talk to our people, that we are still ready to talk to them, have a dialogue with them and iron out the grey areas. We’ll also brief them on certain things they do not know so that they will be well informed to make informed decisions,” said Wike.
Highlighting Abuja as the “centre of unity,” he added, “Abuja is for everybody; if we lose Abuja, we have lost Nigeria. That is why we have always said, let us work together. There is nothing we can’t achieve under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu. Give him time, and a lot of things will change.”
Addressing the newly coronated chiefs, Wike stressed the significant role of traditional rulers in governance, as they are closest to the grassroots and frequently interact with the people.
“You are the one who knows what the people feel at home; you are the one who will tell us whether the government is making any impact or not. You will convey to your subjects what the government is doing and what the government is about to do; you are the one to sell government policies and programmes to your people. If you convey a wrong message, that is what the people will accept. If you convey the right message, that is what the people will accept. So, you play a very pivotal role,” Wike concluded.
