News
Wike: I’m not bothered about criticism over judges quarters project
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says he is not bothered by those criticising him for building houses for judges and justices in FCT.
Wike said this when he inspected the ongoing construction of Judges Quarters and access road to the quarters from Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway by N16, at Katampe District, Abuja on Friday.
The work is expected to link with N20, named after Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka.
The minister also inspected the construction of the extension of Obafemi Awolowo Way (N5), from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III,
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister had, on October 21, inaugurated the construction of the 40 housing units for judges and justices of the Court of Appeal, Federal High Court and FCT High Court.
The minister, however, came under criticism, as some Nigerians said the move was a scheme to influence the judiciary.
But Wike said he was not bothered by those criticisms, saying, “who are those criticising? I don’t think of that; I am not bothered.
“Once you have a provisional approval to go ahead and the backing of the National Assembly, what’s my business with those who are criticising?
“These are people who, even when you give them the opportunity, they cannot do anything. So, forget about those criticisms.
“If you have not done it, they are the ones that will complain that the environment in which our judges and justices are working is not conducive.
“Now we are trying to provide an environment that will make them work well. They are saying oh! And given another reason. Don’t bother yourself, just move on and do your work.
“So, I’m not bothered about the so-called criticism. It does not exist where I am.”
The minister said President Bola Tinubu-led administration responsibility was to touch the lives of Nigerians.
He said that the residents’ appreciation of what the government was doing was motivating him to work harder.
He said that the FCT Administration was executing several projects in the city centre and satellite towns at the same time and recording results because of teamwork and support from Tinubu.
The minister, who said he was impressed with the pace of the projects, commended the contractors for maintaining standard.
Speaking on unemployment, the minister said that job creation was one of the priorities of the Tinubu administration.
He said thousands of youths had been employed by different companies executing different projects across the FCT.
“Employment is not necessarily only when you’re employed by the government, but when you create an opportunity where youths can find a place to work to make a living.
“Look at the number of people that are employed. So, I feel happy. At least, we have been able to engage youths. Nothing can make you more comfortable than when you see your youths engaged.
“Nothing makes us happy than that people are happy; that we are delivering the dividends of a democracy,” Wike said. (NAN)
Nollywood star Annie Idibia opens up about life after her separation from music legend 2Baba. The actress reveals her daughters, Isabella and Olivia, are her strongest source of strength and emotional support.
She expressed her feelings during a red carpet interview at the Headies Awards, the actress spoke openly about how her daughters, Isabella and Olivia, have become her greatest pillar of strength during this emotional transition.
Her candid conversation sparked widespread admiration from fans, especially for the way she continues to prioritise her family and remain grounded amid personal turmoil.
During the emotional exchange at the prestigious awards show, Annie made it clear that her daughters are not just her children but the centre of her universe. She described Isabella and Olivia as her “only family” and her “backbone”, highlighting the deep bond she shares with them.
Annie shared her message in Pidgin English: “My children dey Kampe. The first one dey Yankee, she dey go school. No play with that girl o. I don’t play with my kids. Na them be my backbone.”
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced plans to establish a centralised system for the authentication and verification of all travel documents in Nigeria.
He made this known during a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State, David Hanson.
In the company of Hanson were delegates from the UK Home Office, National Crime Agency, and the British High Commission.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the initiative aims to tackle immigration and document fraud, particularly those associated with border control.
“We discovered that one of the key drivers of rising document fraud is the absence of a centralised, real-time verification system,” he said.
“Currently, if someone submits 20 documents, you may need to contact 20 different issuing agencies to verify them. That breeds inefficiency.”
He explained that the proposed system would allow real-time verification of all documents—such as bank statements, passports, and certificates—at a single centre.
The minister also said Nigeria was ready to take the lead in formulating a regional strategy for border control, noting that regional differences required customised approaches.
“To tackle a heterogeneous problem with a homogeneous approach will not work,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
“That’s why we’re planning a regional border conference to allow for the development of unified yet adaptable strategies to combat migration and border-related challenges.”
He further disclosed that Nigeria’s EU visa solution platform would go live on May 1.
According to him, this will allow for more efficient processing and international cooperation while safeguarding national security and promoting investment.
“We now have a policy that ensures a response—approval or rejection—within 24 to 48 hours of applying for an EU visa,” he said.
Speaking on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, Tunji-Ojo emphasised the administration’s commitment to preventing corruption rather than merely reacting to it.
“Our performance will be judged not by the number of convictions or recoveries but by how many crimes or frauds we prevent,” he said.
In his remarks, Hanson expressed the UK’s readiness to continue collaborating with Nigeria to improve criminal justice outcomes.
Hanson noted that the UK was reviewing its e-visa system and migration policies while exploring ways to expand trade, business, and skills development opportunities with Nigeria.
“My colleagues at the High Commission are eager to maintain strong engagement with the Nigerian government,” he said
According to him, the UK looks forward to enhancing cooperation in tackling crime and fraud.
“You can rest assured that the National Crime Agency, the High Commission, and the Home Office are ready to extend a hand of partnership,” he said.
….Says Atiku on his way out of PDP
…It was against my people’s will
Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has revealed that ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar is preparing to leave the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Recall that, Atiku was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, with Okowa as his running mate.
On March 20, 2023, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, a former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and others jointly announced the creation of a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The move has sparked ongoing discussions about the potential for a united opposition, with political leaders expressing varied opinions.
Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Okowa—who officially joined the All Progressives Congress on Monday—expressed regret for not aligning with his people in supporting a southern candidate in 2023 instead of accepting the role as Atiku’s running mate. He said, “Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.
“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people.”
He added that the election of the current Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, proves that the people still have confidence in their leadership.
Okowa added, “That showed the people still believed in us, believed in me. They said you’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen. And they did.”
When asked about his communication with Atiku before leaving the PDP, Okowa responded, “I actually did communicate with him that we were going to have stakeholders meetings this week (in the last week) and that it was going to be a leadership meeting and the outcome of that meeting was going to determine our next path because we were no longer comfortable with the PDP.
“And I also know that he is already heading out of the PDP from the communications he has passed on to me, and that Nigerians know already.”