‘David Mark flew helicopters while Benue people had no roads’ — Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Senate President David Mark, accusing him of failing to address critical road infrastructure in Benue State despite spending eight years as Nigeria’s number three citizen.

Wike made the remarks on Thursday during the commissioning of the Interchange at the Arterial Road N16–Ring Road II Junction linking the Jahi and Gwarimpa districts of Abuja. President Bola Tinubu was represented at the event by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The FCT minister, who was responding to recent criticisms by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), described David Mark, the chairman of a faction of the party, as a leader whose tenure failed to improve the condition of the Akwanga-Makurdi road.

“And let me say to the national chairman—in quotes. I don’t know which of the factions, but I know David Mark is the chairman of one of the factions,” Wike said.

According to him, the Akwanga-Makurdi road was awarded during Mark’s tenure as Senate President, when the Peoples Democratic Party controlled the Federal Government, yet ordinary people continued to suffer because of its poor condition.

“He was Senate President for two terms—about eight uninterrupted years. The road from Akwanga to Makurdi was awarded when he was Senate President and the ruling government then was his own party.

“The poor people could not afford to go home to Makurdi because there was no road. But the Senate President then, who is now the chairman of a faction of the ADC, was flying with a helicopter. How many poor people have helicopters?” Wike queried.

He contrasted the situation with the current administration, claiming that road infrastructure had improved significantly under President Bola Tinubu.

“Today, by this administration, we can now drive freely to Makurdi,” he said.

Wike also defended the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure record, arguing that the government had embraced continuity by completing projects initiated by previous administrations rather than abandoning them.