Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has on Monday, disclosed that he is always joyous when he steps on the toes of big people in the country.
This is following a possible backlash from a section of the elite as regards his enforcement of rules regarding ground rent payments during a press briefing in Abuja. Wike dismissed it urging the elite to go to other countries and see how they run modern societies.
“Look at what we are doing differently. People have said that FCT was not working (but) now it is working which means I’m doing things that they (past FCT ministers) refused to do,” he said.
The minister frowned at the idea of selective enforcements which tightens the position of the vulnerable instead of all even across the board to be accountable.
He added; “I found out that most of them didn’t have the courage to annoy people, to step on toes but I take joy when I step on the toes of big men; those who say nothing will happen but I say something will happen. It makes me happy.
“All they want me to do is to make decisions against poor people saying nothing will happen to them but I say something will happen. That is why we are making results. If you don’t do the right thing, too bad. I don’t care.”
He also stated that some of the big men only refuse to follow simple laws just when they are in Nigeria.
He said the era of impunity when a section of the elite felt they could trample on laws and nothing would happen was over, declaring that “something will happen”.
This is coming after Wike published over 9,000 names of ground rent defaulters including individuals, corporations, and even political institutions.
He said their ground rent bad been due and their properties was at risk of forfeiture for debts between 10 to 43 years.
This publication had led to the overtaking of some of the marked properties by the administration on May 23, 2025.
The seizure also involved the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before Tinubu intervened and gave 14-day grace period for settlement.
