President Bola Tinubu has told minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who he described as the “landlord of Abuja” to deny him if he ever asks him for free land.
He, however, charged the minister to deliver, particularly the Abuja metro line, for the good of all Nigerians resident in Abuja.
The president stated this in his address at the opening ceremony of the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja.
“I want to ride on your metroline. If I ask for free land, do not give me. But deliver the metroline for the good of the greatest number of Nigerians,” Tinubu said.
Last Wednesday, during an inspection tour Wike said the Abuja rail mass transit (ARMT) should be completed in eight months.
The FCT minister took the train ride from the metro station, through the Idu station and then to the airport station.
Wike decried the dysfunctional state of the rail system and said one of his priorities is to address challenges affecting public transportation in the FCT.
He added that if completed, the train system would significantly reduce traffic congestion in the city.
The rail, which was developed in six phases, was funded with loans from the China EXIM Bank.
It was commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari on July 12, 2018, but packed up shortly after, largely due to vandalism.
