The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyeson Ezenwo Wike, has criticised the level of work in, and the design of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit Scheme, also known as the Abuja Light Rail Project.
The Minister, who took an inspection tour of the Metro Station in the Central Business District and the Kukwaba II Train station, as well as the station’s access road, still under construction yesterday, January 11, said that he was not in a happy mood with what he saw.
“But frankly speaking, knowing where I’m coming from, having presided over projects like this, I’m not in a happy mood at all.”
Wike expressed dissatisfaction with observable security lapses at the Abuja Metro Station, and lamented that the theft and vandalism of rail infrastructure are still happening, despite the security contract meant to secure the facilities.
The Minister also bemoaned the absence of perimeter fencing around the metro station, saying that the absence could be the reason for the continued theft and vandalism of rail infrastructure.
“When we visited the metro station, I discovered that there are issues of security lapses and I remember when I came for the first time after our inauguration, I did say that they have to work on the issue of security by putting on the fence around the metro station in order to ward off criminals.
“Unfortunately, that has not been done. To my surprise, I discovered that the contract was not even awarded to CCECC. It’s a different contract that was awarded by the FCT and this is my first time of hearing that and we are going to take it up immediately to see that it is put in place because you can’t talk about operation when you have not addressed the issue of security.”
He directed that the security contractors to ensure improved security in the stations.
The Minister also expressed displeasure with some aspects of the designs in both stations especially the lack of central cooling systems and poor design of the access road at Kukwaba station.
“From what I have seen, the designs are very poor. Whoever may have approved the designs is unfair to Nigerians. I’ve told CCECC that this kind of design is not even acceptable in their own country and if I had known before now, I would not have promised Mr. President that it would be ready.
“The design of the access roads linking to the various stations, those who conceptualized it, people will always talk about money and so they rush into things without properly evaluating and seeing the benefit it will accrue to the residents and to the users. The conceptualization is not the best, but again what do you do? This is what is on ground. We have to see how we can finish it on time.”
The Minister expressed fear that with what he saw, there are doubts on the possibility of meeting the May 2024 deadline for the completion and commissioning of the project.
He said: “But be it as it may, we still have to work round the clock to see that we achieve our results and I’ve also directed that the stations must be cleaned. All the things that are not there must be provided. There will be no room for excuses at all.
He said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has released the funds for the projects and that he would not be happy if by May , the FCT is not able to operate the metro line.
“It will be very disastrous for me.”
the Minister said, adding that excuses would not be accepted.
“That’s why it’s not good for you to be in the office. You have to go and see things for yourself and not depend on the reports coming from the field. You can imagine if I am sitting in the office and then depending on the reports from those who said they are in the field, by the time I will come here in May, I will be messed up. But I thank God that I came to see things for myself.”

The Supreme Court has restored hope to Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The court, today January 12, affirmed him as the valid winner of the governorship election that held in Kano State on March 18.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel of Justices, vacated the concurrent judgements of the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which sacked him and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressive Congress (APC), as winner of the gubernatorial poll.
In the lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court held that the two lower courts wrongly deducted valid votes that were credited to governor Yusuf by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).
It held that the 165,663 votes that were deducted from Yusuf and the NNPP on the premise the ballot papers were not signed, stamped or dated, were valid.
The court held that contrary to the position of the lower courts, a total of 146, 292 of the ballot papers were confirmed to have been signed and stamped, only that they did not contain any date.
It held that by section 63(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, that ballot papers, which bore the official mark and was duly issued by INEC, were not totally invalid.
Besides, the court held that there was no evidence that governor Yusuf influenced the non signing of the ballot papers.
More so, the court faulted the lower courts for nullifying Yusuf’s election on the premise that he was not a member of the NNPP.
The court also affirmed the election of the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed
Source: PRNigeria.

How I Was Attacked By Thugs In Kogi Govt House  – Senator Echocho

The senator representing Kogi East in the National Assembly, Isah Echocho has narrated how thugs attacked him inside the Government House, Lokoja, Kogi State after a meeting he had, along with other lawmakers from the State, with Governor Yahaya Bello.
The lawmaker told newsmen that himself, Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) and other All Progressives Congress (APC) federal lawmakers from the state had gone to pay homage to the governor yesterday, January 9, after the festive season.
He said that the thugs singled him out of other legislators and pounced on him, accusing him of being responsible for APC’s poor performance in the last governorship election in Kogi East senatorial district.
The Senator said: “I was attacked by thugs in Government House Lokoja but the police rescued me.
“What happened was that all APC senators and the House of Representatives members from the state visited the governor on a courtesy call for the New Year.
“Being one of them, I was not left out. We went up and we had some brief meeting with the governor, though he expressed dissatisfaction over APC performance in Kogi East (my senatorial district) in the last governorship election.
“I told the governor that I tried all I could to convince my people to vote for the APC. I campaigned vigorously for APC in Kogi East but the people were resolute in voting for another candidate despite my efforts.
“It is not as if APC performed woefully in the election in Kogi East. There were pockets of LGs and wards that we won. There was no other thing I could have done beyond what I did. “We exchanged pleasantries with the governor, took a group photograph and left.
“As we were coming out, in front of the Governor’s Office, the thugs pounced on me, that I was responsible for APC’s failure in Kogi East.
“To my surprise, they brought out knives and other weapons to attack me but police officers around were able to rescue me inside my vehicle and we zoomed off. I thank God I didn’t suffer any injury. The police were able to provide sufficient security.”
When asked if the governor was aware of the attack, he said: “The governor cannot descend so low and send thugs to attack me.
“The governor spoke with me after the attack, and he assured me that the thugs would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law, but I told him not to worry since I’m safe.”
Meanwhile, six persons have been arrested in connection to the attack, even as the governor banned unauthorised persons from accessing the Government House, calling for the immediate prosecution of the culprits.
A statement today, January 10, by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Mohammed confirmed that the lawmakers had visited the Governor to congratulate him on the peaceful and credible conduct of the November 11 governorship election and to pledge their loyalty to him and the incoming administration.
“Shortly after the fruitful discussion, the governor received with rude shock the news of the harassment of some of the lawmakers on their way out of the Government House and swiftly ordered the arrest of the culprits.”
The statement said that the governor had charged security agencies to investigate the issue thoroughly and ensure that the offenders face the full wrath of the law.
Governor Yahaya Bello was quoted as saying: “Information just got to me as I left the office to the residence that one man called Suleiman and others embarrassed Senator Jubrin Echocho in the Government House. I’ve directed CSO to arrest all those involved in such a stupid act and bring them to justice immediately. I will never condone acts of hooliganism and indiscipline.”
It will be recalled that APC’s Usman Ododo finally won the November 11, 2023 Governship election with 446, 237 votes, though his main challenger, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), won the majority of his 259,052 votes in Kogi East Senatorial District.
Both Ajaka and Echocho are from the Kogi East Senatorial District.