A civil society organisation, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD), has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his reaction to the destruction of the Kugbo Bus Terminal in Abuja, calling for an independent engineering investigation into the incident.
In a press release signed by its National President, Igbini Odafe Emmanuel, the group said its attention was drawn to the Minister’s response to the damage caused by rainfall to the recently commissioned multi billion naira terminal.
VATLAD noted that the incident has sparked outrage among Nigerians and opposition politicians, many of whom have attributed the development to alleged substandard projects executed under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group, however, faulted Wike’s swift defence of the contractor, arguing that as a non engineer, the Minister lacked the technical competence to absolve the company of responsibility without a thorough investigation.
Igbini also stressed that the incident poses a reputational challenge to the Federal Government, particularly as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections intensify.
VATLAD called on the Minister to mandate a transparent and credible investigation involving members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and other experts to determine both the immediate and remote causes of the damage.
According to the group, preliminary observations suggest a prima facie case against the construction firm, noting that nearby structures within the same vicinity were not affected by the rainfall.
They added that the burden of proof rests on the contractor to clear itself of any wrongdoing when subjected to an independent engineering review.
Despite its criticism, VATLAD acknowledged Wike’s track record in infrastructure development, both as former Governor of Rivers State and in his current role as FCT Minister.
The group also commended President Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development, citing his record as former Governor of Lagos State and his administration’s funding of projects in the FCT.
Igbini maintained that the President should not be held responsible for the incident, reiterating the need for accountability through proper investigation of the Kugbo Bus Terminal damage.