Flooding in Abuja: Lawmaker Defends Wike, Says Residents Have Role to Play
- Philip Agbese, House of Representatives deputy spokesman, pushed back against critics blaming Wike for Abuja's recent floods
- Agbese pointed to 221 kilometres of completed roads in satellite towns as evidence of the FCT Administration's infrastructure drive
- The Benue lawmaker said residents who dump refuse into drainage channels share responsibility for the flooding
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Abuja, FCT - Philip Agbese, the deputy spokesman of the House of Representatives, has defended Nyesom Wike against criticism over the flooding that hit parts of Abuja, arguing that residents who clog drainage channels with refuse cannot then hold the FCT Minister solely responsible when floodwaters rise.
Agbese spoke to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, August 18, calling the backlash against Wike unfair in light of the scale of infrastructure work being carried out across the territory.
Source: Twitter
"Blaming Wike for the flood in the FCT is like the Israelites blaming Moses for helping them to the Promised Land. At some point, we must appreciate transformative leadership and understand that government cannot solve every problem without the cooperation of the people," Agbese said.
Roads, Bridges and the Case for Wike
The lawmaker, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in Benue state, said the FCT administration had completed 221 kilometres of roads out of 317 kilometres awarded in satellite towns since President Tinubu's administration took office. Major projects in the city centre, including the Gwarinpa-Jahi Interchange, Airport-Kuje Road, Kuje-Gwagwalada Road and sections of the Outer Southern Expressway, had also been finished and inaugurated.
Agbese described Wike as "a prophet who is not honoured at home," saying the minister's work was being recognised elsewhere while some residents dwelt on isolated problems and missed the bigger picture of what was changing in the capital.
"Wike is like the Biblical prophet who is not honoured at home. At a time the man is being celebrated globally, some persons are still calling him names. We should be able to acknowledge the good works being done while also demanding that areas requiring improvement are addressed," he said.
Abuja Flooding: Residents Must Play Their Part
Beyond defending the minister, Agbese placed part of the blame for flooding on residents. He said indiscriminate waste disposal into waterways and drainage channels was a key factor behind the flooding seen in parts of the FCT.
"Residents also have a role to play. You cannot dump refuse into waterways and drainage channels and then turn around to blame the minister when the rain comes and the water has nowhere to pass," the lawmaker said.
He called on residents to stop using drainage infrastructure as dumping grounds and to alert the relevant authorities whenever waterways were blocked or encroached upon. He also urged the FCT Administration to keep investing in flood-control infrastructure and to crack down harder on illegal dumping.
Agbese said Abuja's rapid growth meant flooding had to be treated as a shared challenge rather than a political one.
"Abuja belongs to all of us. We must work with the FCT Administration to protect the infrastructure being provided and keep our communities clean. Government has its responsibilities, but citizens also have theirs," he said.
Floods Submerge Cars, Leave Residents Stranded in Abuja
Legit.ng previously reported that residents and motorists in Abuja were stranded on Saturday, August 15, after intense rainfall triggered flash floods across several parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
Areas badly hit included Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent in Wuse 2, the vicinity of Delight Event Centre in Gudu, and Efab Estate in Lokogoma.
The bridge between Gaduwa and Durumi was also overwhelmed by floodwaters, cutting off movement between the two communities for several hours. P
Source: Legit.ng
