Wike Sets November, December Deadlines For Abuja Roads Delayed For Years
Dr. Nafisat Makinɗe, Abuja
The long delayed Apo-Karshi road is expected to be handed over in November, while the Bwari-Kubwa road is scheduled for completion by the end of December, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike said Thursday, September 24, 2026, during an inspection of infrastructure projects across satellite towns in Abuja.
Wike gave the assurance while addressing journalists after inspecting the ongoing projects, saying the Apo-Karshi road, which he said was originally awarded in 2010 but stalled under a previous administration, had been revoked and re-awarded by the current administration.
The minister’s remarks were contained in a statement dated September 24, 2026, and signed by Rabi Musa Umar, Deputy Director, Press, Office of the Hon. Minister, under reference FCTA/ODP/PR/905.
“I am so happy in the sense that we have been able to conquer the Apo Karshi road. You know the importance of that road. That road was awarded in 2010. To the glory of God, today we were there, and we can see with our eyes that indeed by November they would have handed over that very important road,” Wike said.
At Bwari, where residents turned out during the inspection, Wike said SCC, the contractor handling the Bwari-Kubwa road, had promised to hand over the project by the end of the year despite delays caused by heavy rainfall.
He said more than 10 projects would be commissioned in the FCT before the next elections, exceeding an earlier pledge to commission 10 projects. Wike said the administration had expanded infrastructure development beyond Abuja’s city centre to satellite towns.
“Just like I said yesterday, the Tinubu Administration has redefined infrastructure delivery as far as FCT is concerned, not just within the city but also within the Satellite Towns,” he said.
Wike later linked the infrastructure programme to the 2027 elections, saying the projects would provide residents with a basis for assessing the administration’s record. He expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other candidates, including Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda and John Gabaya, would win their respective contests in the FCT.
“If really indeed that good governance is a barometer to measure whether a government has succeeded or not, then we have nothing to fear,” Wike said. “Now the Tinubu administration has come, it’s not only listening to you, it’s not only caring for you, it’s solving your problems.”
The minister also responded to criticism from the incumbent FCT senator, who had said she would not be intimidated or forced out of the race. Wike said his comments were not intended as intimidation but questioned the senator’s engagement with satellite communities and traditional rulers, as well as her legislative record on issues affecting the territory.
“How many times has she gone to satellite towns to discuss with them, to consult with them, even traditional rulers? How many times has she spoken on the floor of the Senate to say these are the problems the FCT is facing? How many times has she come up with bills to tell her colleagues to support her to pass this bill so that certain problems facing Abuja will be taken care of?” Wike said.
On recent demolition exercises in parts of Abuja, Wike said affected occupants had been given more than six months’ notice and described them as illegal occupants rather than property owners. He said the government could not continue to delay enforcement after repeated periods of notice.