BY DAVID ADUGE-ANI, ABUJA
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has won this year’s infrastructure and leadership award.
The coveted Gold Prize in Infrastructural Development and Exceptional Leadership award, was bestowed on the FCT minister by ThisNigeria Newspaper in its second edition of the paper’s Annual Lecture and Gold Prize Awards held in Abuja.
Accepting the award, Wike thanked the newspapers for the honour, and dedicated the award to President Bola Tinubu, commending him for his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“I want to dedicate this award to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria for deeming it necessary that we be part of his Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigerians, without which it would not have been possible for us to contribute our quota,” he said.
“I want to assure Nigerians to continue to have hope and things will improve under the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, Wike added.
The minister was among five distinguished Nigerians honoured, including Governors of Kano and Akwa Ibom States, Mallam Abba Kabir Yusuf and Pastor Umo Eno, Special financial investigator, Mr. Jim Obazee and veteran labour leader/Director-General, Micheal Imoudu Institute of Labour Studies, Comrade Issa Aremu.
Chairman of the occasion, General Abdulsami Abubakar (rtd), earlier commended the newspaper’s publisher, Eric Osagie, for honouring the honourees for exceptional achievements and also celebrate 25 years of unbroken democracy in the Nigeria.
The former Head of State, who was represented by Major General Adamu Jidda (Rtd), lauded the progress made since Nigeria’s democracy against all odds 25 years ago; stressing the need to celebrate Nigerians, who helped to sustain democracy through the years.
His words: “Despite the myriad of challenges that have come our way, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to upholding democratic ideals. As we celebrate this milestone, we must acknowledge the numerous individuals and institutions that played pivotal roles in sustaining our democracy”.
The lecture and award ceremony with the theme: “25 years of Nigeria’s Unbroken Democracy – Prospects and Possibilities,” had Professor Mike Ozekhome as the guest lecturer and Professor Okey Ikechukwu, Senator Shehu Sani and Professor Abiodun Adeniyi as discussants.