Wike Promises To Deliver Goodluck Jonathan Way By December

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has promised to deliver the Inner Southern Expressway (Goodluck Jonathan Way) by December.

He said this in Abuja on Tuesday after inspecting the project, alongside the ongoing construction of the service carriageways of the Southern Parkway in Gaduwa District, Abuja.

He added that the 10-kilometre road project awarded in 2014 would spand through the Southern Parkway to Ring Road II at Galadimawa, with five bridges.

He explained that “the road is the only project awarded by previous administration that had not completed by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, apart from the Apo-Karshi Road.”

The minister said the contractor would complete the remaining six out of the 10-kilometre road and hand it over by end of December, subject to availability of funds.

He described the road as a “major road” that would change the landscape of the FCT, if completed, adding that talks were ongoing with the Ministry of Finance to make funds available.

“We’ll continue to dialogue with the Minister of Finance to see how to access funds and pay off the contractor to finish the project.

“The project is key to us and that of course will change the entire landscape of the FCT.

“The Apo-Karshi road awarded in 2010 is almost completed. We were there yesterday,”he said

Wike said that completing the projects would fulfill Tinubu’s promise to complete all projects awarded by the previous administrations, particularly between 2010 and 2023.

He noted that “it will be a remarkable achievement for this administration to finish all projects awarded by previous administration in order not to have abandoned projects everywhere.

“So, it’s a good development for us. We’re happy with what we’ve done,” Wike said.

The minister also inspected the ongoing construction of two service carriageways of the Southern Parkway, spanning from Arterial Road S20 (Oladipo Diya Way) in Gaduwa District to Ring Road II.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Southern Parkway serves as one of the most essential transportation corridors within Abuja’s southern development axis, linking multiple dense residential districts across Phases I to IV of the Federal Capital City.

“You know, this road was among the key projects inaugurated to mark Tinubu’s third year in office. We have come to see what they’ve done.

“The contractors promised to hand over the project by end of December and I believe them,” he said.

Reacting to Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers recent declaration over his return to the ‘Rainbow Coalition’ and pledged complete loyalty to Tinubu’s re-election, Wike said “there is no sin in politics”.

“If someone realises he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that.

“What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and decides to take the right path,”the Minister said.

The minister, who welcomed Fubara back into his political fold, insisting that the governor had “no other choice” than to return to the political family that brought him to power.

Wike said Fubara’s decision to publicly align with his political camp was a step in the right direction, adding that the reconciliation would strengthen support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“I said during my last media chat that he has no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)