You Don’t Have Good Taste’, Wike Tells Critics Of ₦39bn Conference Centre Renovation

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Friday, defended the sum of ₦39bn spent on the renovation of the International Conference Centre, Abuja saying those criticising the amount “don’t have good taste.”

The minister, who spoke at the commissioning of the newly constructed Left-Hand Service Carriageway in the nation’s capital, said everything in the conference centre was changed except the block work.

Wike said though the ₦240m was spent on building the conference centre in 1991 during the military regime of former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, a lot has changed in the prices of commodities hence the sum of ₦39bn spent on the renovation of the conference centre.

On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the refurbished International Conference Centre, Abuja, which the FCT minister renamed after him as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Some members of the opposition including former federal lawmaker Shehu Sani subsequently faulted Wike’s decision and argued that the conference centre should have been renamed after Babangida and not Tinubu.

Some people also believed that the money spent on the rehabilitation of the conference centre was outrageous.

“The only thing in that International Conference Centre that was not changed is just the block work. Everything in that Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre was changed,” the FCT minister said in a direct response to his critics.

“Nigeria as the Giant of Africa must not only show that it is the Giant of Africa; people must see what makes you to be the Giant of Africa. Nobody who loves this country would criticise the International Conference Centre.

“They said we did not name the International Conference Centre after someone who built it. Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport was not built by Nnamdi Azikwe. Moshood Abiola International Stadium was not built by Moshood Abiola,” he said.

Hafsoh Isiaq

Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.

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