“All those people protesting; I have told them to come and show where we awarded the contracts to them. If it is those civil servants’ contracts where they go and award N5 billion without approval and then incur debts of N20 billion, I will not pay.
“If you like cry from morning till night, call me whatever thing you want to call me, say anything you want to say, as a politician, you should know that these are the things you will see.
“If, as a politician, you think that people will not say something against you, then go and sleep.”
The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyeson Wike threw these challenges at the contractors who are threatening to go on demonstration to press for the payment of their money. The minister spoke today, September 22, while
flagging off the construction of a strategic 3.4 km access road in Mabushi District.
Wike acknowledged the right of the contractors to protest within a democracy, but stressed the importance of following due process in contract awards.
He also stressed the need to award contracts only when the funds are available.
He vowed to continue to do what is right for the FCT and will not be distracted by name-calling.
“As a politician, one must not be afraid of being called names.”
He made it clear that he would only be worried when his principal, President Bola Tinubu, is not happy with what he is doing.
“The only way I will be worried is when my principal is not happy with what I’m doing.”
