Wike Renames International Conference Center after Tinubu, Gives Reasons

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike said the International Conference Centre was named after President Bola Tinubu because he showed leadership by giving a marching order that led to rehabilitation of the centre.

Wike affirmed this Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the rehabilitated centre by the President, stating that state of the centre was a major international embarrassment for Nigeria when Tinubu inaugurated the ECOWAS Parliament last year.

He noted that the rehabilitation carried out in eight months would not have been possible without Tinubu’s leadership.

He said: “You are not the only president who has been here. So many presidents have come and nobody has said this is not what Nigeria needs. But because of your leadership, you gave a marching order, stating that this is not the quality to show that Nigeria is a giant of Africa.

“Today this Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre can match any order international conference centre. But what I want to appeal, Mr. President, because I know pressure will come, how do we sustain this? I want to let everybody know whether you’re a ministry, whether you’re an agency, you want to use this, you have to pay something. You have to pay. That’s the only way it can be sustained.

“Nothing like, my brother, my sister is going to have a wedding. If you want to use a place like this, such a beautiful place, then you must drop something. This was being handled before by a politician and he killed the place. And when we tried to do what, the politician had to go to court to stop us from carrying out this action. So, if you’re not the kind of person, we would not have done this work. Pressure came left, right, and centre, and you said, ‘go ahead and rehabilitate that place’. We thank God for showing that leadership”.

In his remarks, President Tinubu said he was honoured to reopen the International Conference Centre as part of the country’s determined efforts to change the way things were done, and to reflect Nigerians as people of quality, character, determination and great spirit.

He exhorted the FCT Minister as a transformational leader who also reflects that Nigerian collective spirit.

“Don’t pay attention to the busybodies and bystanders. Whatever they say, continue to do your good work. You are a transformational leader, you have the foresight, the vision and the determination to succeed. Thank you very much.

“When I attended the conference of ECOWAS Parliament here, it was a very dirty, disorganised, uninhabitable environment. Aside from the side-talk I had with the Senate President, I turned to Wike and said this conference centre is not reflecting who we are. Have we sunk this low? He said no but bear with us, we will do whatever we can do to transform the place. You won’t come back to find it in a dilapidated state and today I am very happy.

“Whatever might be wrong today is a sign of the good thing that we are correcting, we are reflecting, renewing our hope and believing in ourselves in what we can do, what we can be – a great nation on earth,” Tinubu said.

The President described modern infrastructure as the backbone of a thriving economy in an inclusive and progressive society.

He added the International Conference Centre was part of the country’s larger vision to become a hub for regional diplomacy, continental trade discussions, global partnership and well outlined goals that reflect ‘Nigeria First’.