By David Torough, Abuja

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has said no reprieve yet for tax defaulters in Abuja, declaring readiness not to back off those refusing to pay necessary dues to the government, regardless of their status.

He said he will touch rich tax defaulters, and heaven won’t fall. Recall that on May 26, 2025, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) task force sealed many premises, including the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, over non-payment of ground rent. The action sparked outrage within the PDP, with its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, labelling it an act of irresponsibility by the Federal Government.Wike, who said those considered as the ‘untouchables’ in Abuja would not be spared as long as they choose to go against the law, spoke at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State yesterday while delivering the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture of the institution on the topic: ‘Nigeria of our dreams’.The immediate past Rivers State Governor said leadership requires courage to take decisions that would engender development without fear.“Leadership is not about you liking someone; it is about you being courageous to make a decision that will help us to move forward.“I am not the first Minister of FCT, no poor man lives in Maitama, Asokoro, all are rich men. No poor man does business in the Central Business Area. They say they are untouchable, I say No!“I will touch you, if the right thing is not done. That is leadership; they didn’t appoint me as minister for a beauty contest. Mention one poor man who has a house in Maitama, all are rich men, they don’t want to pay tax, you will pay it. You will pay, if you don’t pay, I will touch you and heaven will not fall, but rather be at peace,” Wike said.Touching on how poor quality leadership has slowed down the progress of the country, Wike said Nigeria as at different times, ended up with leaders who were not prepared for leadership positions.He added, “Indeed, some of these leaders were ab initio, even reluctant to take on the mantle of leadership. Accordingly, Nigeria has substantially been infested with leaders without preparation, knowledge, courage, patriotism and character.“Little wonder our country has spent too much time groping in the dark and fiddling with common nuggets of development such as basic infrastructure, primary healthcare, efficient democratic and judicial systems, and a functional economy.”On the kind of leadership that Nigeria needs, the FCT Minister said, “A leader of our dreams must be one who is prepared to lead; one who has shown character and resilience in the face of challenges. He must be that person who believes in the infinite possibilities that the Nigerian nation exemplifies while taking solid, proactive, logical and well-informed decisions that would maximally actualise her potential.“This leader must have the courage and audacity to act, build, innovate and generally expand the frontiers of development with a hands-on approach that would emphasise excellence over mediocrity.“Perhaps, more importantly, the leader of our dreams must create a society of free and responsible citizens whose potentials flow freely and free enterprise thrives.”Emphasising the importance of quality leadership to the nation building, Wike referenced Yasar Jarrar, in his book, “The Sheikh CEO,” where he said the development of Dubai is fundamentally traceable to the great leadership provided by Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the present leader of Dubai and his forebears.He said through vision, resilience and discipline, they transformed Dubai, an otherwise desert patch, into one of the most enchanting hubs for trade, commerce and leisure.He subsequently declared that President Bola Tinubu has the qualities needed and has at different times demonstrated a stout commitment to the enthronement of democracy in the country.He said, “He (Tinubu) has shown great capacity for engendering development as captured in the unprecedented rapid and exponential development of Lagos state under his watch and even beyond.“On his first day, upon being sworn in as President, he demonstrated rare courage by removing the hydra-headed fuel subsidy that was impoverishing generations of Nigerians and binding them into avoidable and perennial debt.“Leaders before him all spoke about the evil of fuel subsidy, but none had the courage to dare the blackmail of removing it. Tinubu did and is fittingly grappling with the inevitable, unintended and sometimes orchestrated consequences of this removal.“Today, our states have far more resources to develop, the debts are no longer piling, and the price of petrol is gradually but steadily adjusting downwards in tandem with the forces of demand and supply and the strict implementation of regulatory conditionalities.”PDP Accuses Uzodinma of Crippling Imo EconomyThe People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has blamed the APC-led government under Governor Hope Uzodimma for crippling the economy of the state.In a statement issued on Thursday in Owerri by the PDP Publicity Secretary Imo State, Lancelot Obiaku said that the recently released data on Value Added Tax (VAT) generated by the 36 tates of the federation and the FCT for the first quarter of 2025 has confirmed their consistent assertion that Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration has stifled businesses and commercial activities, and made the State unattractive to investors.The party regretted that Imo, placed 35th out of the 36 states in Nigeria contributed the second lowest VAT revenue to the federation’s account with just N2.34 billion, only better than Taraba with N2.33 billion.The party, describing the state as the worst performer in Southern Nigeria, said that it is almost ten times the value of Anambra (N10.73 billion). Ebonyi with N7.43 billion performed more than three times better.They observed that VAT is a consumption tax levied on goods and services at each stage of production or distribution, and is paid by consumers but collected by businesses and remitted to the government through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).According to PDP, VAT ratio reflects the economic activity and commercial strength of States and is directly proportional to the productivity level and health of an economy.PDP said that they are not in doubt that Imo’s dismal performance reflects the comatose state of its business environment and overall economy.The publicity secretary said that businesses are shutting down, while the state has failed to attract meaningful investments under Uzodinma.He said: “Today, however, at least 70% of hotels and entertainment businesses in the State have closed down.”The party blamed the present administration in the state for lack of a coherent economic blueprint to reverse this decline.He said: “How can Imo’s economy improve when the governor shows no genuine interest in developing the state by not living in the state even as a Governor. Uzodimma’s refusal to actually provide governance has contributed to the insecurity ravaging the state. “Imo PDP condemns the fact that the state governor has personally seized control over resources that should serve the people’s needs.“Governor Uzodinma has stifled the autonomy of ministries, agencies, parastatals, and even the local government system, concentrating their responsibilities to his office without transparency or accountability.”The party expressed regrets that even the Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen lack the resources to make any meaningful impact, as their allocations are controlled and misappropriatedIt added that if there are ongoing developmental projects and a formidable economic blueprint, businesses will thrive and the state will attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), leading to more payments of VAT.