Wike responds to critics saying contract for new VP's lodge was awarded as far back as 2010

FEDERAL Capital Territory (FCT) minister Nyesom Wike has pleaded with critics attacking him over the construction of a new vice president's lodge to be reasonable pointing out that the project was initiated in 2010 by the Yar'Adua administration and he is just completing it.

Over recent weeks, Mr Wike has come under fire after it emerged that the federal government is spending millions of naira on a new vice president's lodge in Abuja. Critics have asked what is wrong with Akinola Aguda House, the current vice president's  lodge and Mr Wike, the FCT minister who is responsible for executing the project has some in for fierce criticism.

Clearing the air on the matter, Mr Wike said that the contract for the project was awarded in 2010 to Julius Berger, at the cost of N7bn ($8.73m), adding that the project was abandoned for 13 years. Speaking while flagging off the resurfacing and rehabilitation of existing roads in the Asokoro District of the FCT, Mr Wike added that as a responsible government, the current administration was duty-bound to complete the project to avoid wasting taxpayers’ money.

Mr Wike added: “People should not be sentimental and tell lies. We did not award that contract. All we are merely doing because of our policy of not leaving other projects to be abandoned, we felt we should continue with those projects."

He called for the support of all FCT residents for the policies and programmes of the federal government. Highly controversial Mr Wike has been known to stoke up controversy with urban renewal projects when he was the Rivers State governor.