President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday extended an open invitation to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), praising his performance in office and declaring that Wike would be welcomed with open arms.
President Tinubu also recommitted his administration to sustained investment in infrastructure, declaring that no amount of political pressure or opposition will derail his development agenda under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We have somebody in Nyesom Wike. He’s not a member of my party — not yet. But the day he changes his mind and registers with the progressives, we will welcome him. Because we will enjoy him in singing, ‘as e dey pain them, e dey sweet us”, Tinubu said during the commissioning of the Arterial Road N16 in Katampe District, Abuja.
The lighthearted yet politically charged remark came as the President formally inaugurated the completed stretch of Shehu Shagari Way, linking the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway to Wole Soyinka Way through Katampe and adjoining districts.
The project, which includes a major interchange and access roads, is part of the Abuja Master Plan and had stalled for years before being revived under Wike’s leadership.
Tinubu emphasised that his government will continue to prioritize service delivery and national development over political grandstanding.
“We will continue to build, we will continue to serve the people, no matter how much the naysayers pursue their politics,” the President said. “We did not ignore this project. We did not worry about protests. The government has played its part.”
President Tinubu hailed the completion of the project as a milestone that goes beyond physical construction.
“This project represents more than a stretch of asphalt, it affirms our commitment to urban transformation under our Renewed Hope Agenda. What was once missing as a link is now a modern, functional and durable infrastructure”, he said.
He praised Minister Wike’s leadership and collaborative approach in delivering the project.
“Once again, I commend the Honorable Minister of FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, and his team. He could not achieve this alone without your collaboration as a team builder, a team player. You have proved that teamship is the hallmark of good leadership,” Tinubu said.
The President reiterated his administration’s broader vision to deploy infrastructure as a tool for national growth, social inclusion, and economic transformation.
“Infrastructure is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It is the bedrock of national competitiveness, growth, social integration and economic opportunity”, he stressed.
Tinubu noted that Nigeria’s future lies in its ability to connect cities, communities, and industries with world-class infrastructure.
“There is no way industrialization will flourish without good roads,” he said, adding that the government is also investing in “roads, rail, power, healthcare, education and digital infrastructure.”
