ABUJA — Nyesom Wike signed and released thousands of long-stalled certificates of occupancy in his first six months as Federal Capital Territory minister. Files that languished for years under previous administrations moved swiftly under his direct oversight.

Ekebuike, an Abuja-based lawyer and political scientist, paid for his certificate in 2013. Despite full payment and repeated follow-ups, his file sat idle until Wike’s team processed it within three months of his August 2023 appointment. ‘No inducement, no influence,’ Ekebuike wrote in a detailed account of his experience.

Wike’s actions align with the Land Use Act of 2004, Ekebuike said. Section 1 vests all FCT land in the president, administered through the minister. Sections 5 and 6 allow grants of occupancy rights, which Wike activated by mass-signing dormant files. He also enforced Section 22 on alienation consents and Section 26, voiding non-compliant deals.

Before Wike, land processing favored VIPs. Officials created informal ‘screening layers’ to extract bribes. Mid-level staff colluded with land speculators, reselling plots and extorting buyers. Wike abolished these bottlenecks. He reformed Power of Attorney registrations, ending repeated fees, and imposed direct ministerial review on delayed files.

Staff at the FCT Administration describe Wike as a workaholic. He reviews files late into the night, treating office as a labor site. Officials said he cleared inherited backlogs from decades ago by mid-2024.

Infrastructure projects advanced rapidly too. Crews rehabilitated the Outer Southern Expressway, linking central Abuja to satellite towns. They expanded Arterial Roads N1, N5, and N20, core to the city’s master plan. Work finished on stalled roads in Gwarimpa, Jahi, Mabushi, Katampe, and Wuye districts.

Other roads now ease traffic in Life Camp-Jahi-Katampe. Rehabilitation reached Kubwa, Lugbe, Kuje, Karshi, and Bwari, areas long neglected. The administration revived public schools and abandoned buildings. Contractors face strict deadlines; awards mean completion.

At the six Area Councils, Wike enforced fiscal rules. He cut political meddling, demanding results from leaders. This boosted grassroots services, officials said.

Critics call Wike arbitrary. Ekebuike dismisses this, citing legal compliance. Political attacks from Wike’s Rivers State days do not apply here, he argued. His FCT role focuses on administration, judged by efficiency and impact.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support aids Wike. It ensures quick decisions and policy stability, Ekebuike wrote. No evidence shows Wike violates the constitution or Land Use Act.

Ordinary Nigerians benefit most. Ekebuike called it restorative governance. Public office now serves the unknown, bureaucracy runs bribe-free, and law shields the powerless. In Abuja, delays, discrimination, and corruption fell under Wike’s reforms.