Nigeria Build, Don’t Banter: Tinubu Tells Wike to Focus on Abuja Projects, Not Pressure

President Bola Tinubu has asked FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to block out distractions from “busybodies and bystanders” and stay focused on delivering infrastructural reforms in Abuja.

• Tinubu spoke during the inauguration of the newly rehabilitated International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
• Wike credited the president for authorising the project and acknowledged pressure from unnamed critics.
• Tinubu publicly defended Wike, calling him a “transformational leader.”
• Both men agreed that ministries and agencies must pay to use the ICC to ensure its sustainability.
• The ICC was first built in 1991 under the Babangida military regime.

The exchange between Tinubu and Wike signalled continued political trust despite internal pressures. With rumours of tension within the APC and the FCT facing increased scrutiny, Tinubu’s public endorsement may be read as both encouragement and a signal to critics. The president's hands-off, let-him-work stance mirrors previous defence of loyal allies under fire.

The ICC's facelift now stands not just as a symbol of infrastructure revival but also of political alignment. Tinubu and Wike appear ready to defend each other and their agenda, regardless of who’s talking in the background.