By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced plans to transform the newly completed Apo-Karshi Road into a tourist attraction, 16 years after the project was initially awarded in 2010.

Wike made the disclosure on Wednesday during an inspection of the road in Abuja.

He said the FCT Administration was making arrangements to develop appropriate facilities that would enhance the road’s appeal as a tourist destination.

The minister attributed the successful completion of the long-abandoned project to the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, who ordered the termination of the initial contract after the indigenous contractor failed to deliver despite receiving full payment.

According to Wike, the President subsequently directed that the contract be re-awarded to a more competent company, given the strategic importance of the road to residents and the development of the FCT.

“This road was awarded in 2010 to an indigenous contractor. We did all we could to persuade the contractor to ensure that the job was fully implemented, even though we had fully paid. But the contractor was not forthcoming,” he said.

Wike explained that following the failure of the initial contractor, the matter was brought to Tinubu’s attention, prompting the President to direct the termination and re-award of the contract.

He said the administration remained focused on delivering the project despite criticisms that greeted the award of the new contract, insisting that the comfort and well-being of residents remained its priority.

“When this contract was awarded, some people were asking how we could award it at that amount. But we were not deterred. All we were concerned about was the happiness and comfort of the people,” he said.

Expressing satisfaction with the quality of work, Wike described the Apo-Karshi Road as one of the most publicised projects undertaken by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), noting that the difficult terrain made its completion a remarkable engineering achievement.

He observed that reactions on social media indicated that many Nigerians were impressed by the scale and technical complexity of the project, particularly its successful delivery despite the challenging conditions.

The minister described the road as evidence of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to infrastructure development and urged Nigerians to assess the government’s performance based on its overall achievements rather than isolated issues.

“Look at what is going on in Abuja today, the level of infrastructure and how it has turned out to be a tourist centre. I am happy that people are happy and that Nigerians have seen the infrastructure development being carried out by the Tinubu administration,” he said.

Wike also commended journalists for their role in bringing the project to public attention, noting that media reports had helped Nigerians appreciate the scale of work involved in its completion.

On the proposed commissioning, the minister said the FCT Administration was working around the President’s schedule, as several other completed projects were being prepared for inauguration.

He disclosed that the administration had inspected projects at the International Conference Centre, Southern Parkway and Karu District. He added that between 10 and 12 projects being executed by Arab Contractors were also being considered for commissioning.

Wike expressed optimism that President Tinubu would inaugurate the Apo-Karshi Road before the end of November, saying the administration would make efforts to ensure the project was included in the President’s schedule.

Addressing plans to provide public facilities along the road to support its proposed transformation into a tourist destination, the minister said the administration would work with relevant departments to develop the necessary amenities.

He, however, clarified that the FCDA’s primary responsibility was road construction, while the department responsible for tourism would determine the facilities required for the proposed tourist centre.

Wike said he had rejected a proposal submitted by the FCDA coordinator, stressing the need for the appropriate department to take responsibility for planning the tourism facilities.

“But be sure that I will make it happen as a tourist centre,” he assured.

The Alternative Bank Ltd (Alt Bank) has appointed Gul Khan as its new Managing Director, following approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to a statement issued by the bank on Wednesday, Khan succeeds Hassan Yusuf, the bank’s founding Managing Director.

The bank said Khan would bring more than 25 years of international experience in financial services across Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Before his appointment, Khan served as Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of I&M Bank Kenya.

He also served as Group Head of Products at Airtel Money, the fintech business operating across 14 African markets.

Khan previously held the position of Global Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management at HSBC Amanah, the non-interest banking arm of HSBC.

His career also includes executive leadership positions in banks across the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Qatar.

The Chairman of Alternative Bank, Mr Muhtar Bakare, said Khan’s expertise in non-interest banking and leadership experience across African financial services positioned him well to lead the bank into its next phase of growth.

“The Board is confident in his ability to build on the bank’s foundations and broaden its reach, while maintaining the strong governance and commercial discipline essential to long-term success,” he said.

In his remarks, Khan said his priority was to position Alternative Bank as the preferred choice for individuals and businesses in Nigeria.

“That means understanding what customers need, whether acquiring productive assets or growing their businesses, and providing solutions that are relevant and easy to use.

“I look forward to working with colleagues to build on Alt Bank’s progress and earn our customers’ continued trust,” he said.

The statement noted that Alternative Bank had met the CBN’s revised minimum capital requirement for national non-interest banks ahead of the regulatory deadline.

It also disclosed that the bank had completed its migration to MIZAN, a core banking platform designed specifically for non-interest financial institutions.

According to the statement, the strengthened capital base and technology investment would enhance the bank’s capacity to finance businesses and develop customer-focused financial products.

Alternative Bank is a subsidiary of Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, a Nigerian financial services group. (NAN)

By David Torough, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has overhauled its Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications, restricting official communication on behalf of the campaign to three senior officials in a move aimed at ensuring greater discipline, coordination and consistency in public messaging.

Under the new arrangement, only the campaign’s Director-General, Senator Abdulaziz Yari; the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, who will serve as the official spokesperson; and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, are authorised to speak on behalf of the council.

The decision was announced on Wednesday in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the council, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila said the restructuring was designed to promote “more cohesive, disciplined, and effective public engagement” by streamlining the campaign’s communication structure.

As part of the changes, all individuals previously announced or designated as spokespersons have been directed to relinquish those responsibilities and integrate into the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications as ordinary members.

The council also issued a directive to radio and television stations to take note of the new arrangement and adjust their engagement protocols accordingly.

It explained that the campaign would designate appropriate representatives for media appearances whenever necessary, effectively ending the practice of multiple officials independently speaking on its behalf.

The restructuring comes against the backdrop of a controversial television appearance by a member of the campaign council, Alwan Hassan, on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.

During the interview, Hassan defended the functionality of Nigeria’s 112 emergency number, describing it as one of the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

However, when programme anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, challenged him to demonstrate that the emergency line was working by calling the number during the live broadcast, repeated attempts to connect were unsuccessful.

Hassan suggested that network-related difficulties might have affected the calls, but the explanation was questioned by the presenter, turning the exchange into a contentious moment during the programme.

The campaign council’s announcement followed less than a day after the interview. However, Gbajabiamila did not expressly attribute the restructuring to the television appearance or the controversy surrounding the emergency number.

The new directive nevertheless signals a tighter approach to the campaign’s media relations, with official public communication now concentrated in the hands of three designated officials.

For broadcast organisations and other media platforms, the changes mean that previous spokesperson designations are no longer valid, while invitations and requests for official campaign representation will henceforth be coordinated through the restructured Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications.