Wike used a whopping sum of N39billion for just renovation of ICC originally built from scratch For N240m — Fayose 

Wike used a whopping sum of N39billion for just renovation of ICC originally built from scratch For N240m — Fayose

 

 

Isaac Fayose, younger brother to the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has strongly criticized the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the reported ₦39 billion renovation of the Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC).

 

The Businessman and public affairs commentator expressed outrage at what he described as a “wasteful and self-serving” expenditure on a facility originally constructed in 1991 under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida for just ₦240 million.

 

“The ICC was built from the ground up in 1991 with ₦240 million—a full, functional national monument,” Fayose said in a statement. “Now in 2025, ₦39 billion is being used not to build, but simply to renovate the same structure.”

 

Fayose did not mince words as he condemned the project, labeling it “ego construction” and accusing Wike of prioritizing image over substance at a time when Nigerians are grappling with severe economic hardship.

 

“This isn’t about national development or preserving legacy,” he stated. “This is about rewriting history with paint, bricks, and personal branding.”

 

The renovation comes amid growing public discontent over inflation, job losses, and rising poverty levels. Fayose argued that the decision to funnel such a staggering amount of money into a renovation project reflects a distorted sense of national priorities.

 

“There’s a deeper problem here,” he warned. “It’s not just about the money—it’s about what we value as a nation. While people are struggling to survive, we are spending billions on ego and self-glorification.”

 

The controversy has been further fueled by the recent renaming of the facility. Formerly known simply as the International Conference Centre, it has now been rebranded as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre—a move that has sparked political debate and accusations of excessive politicking.

 

Joining the condemnation, Umar Sani, a former presidential aide, also slammed the renovation as an unjustifiable waste of public funds, calling it a “shameful display of vanity” by both the FCT minister and President Tinubu.

 

A Legacy of Excess?

 

The renovation has reignited debate over fiscal recklessness in the Tinubu administration. Critics argue that spending ₦39 billion to upgrade a decades-old facility—without significant expansion or modern technological enhancements—is emblematic of a broader culture of extravagance at the expense of pressing national needs.

 

“Even adjusted for inflation, building an entirely new, state-of-the-art ICC today would cost between ₦25 and ₦30 billion,” Sani noted. “Spending more than that on mere renovation, then renaming it after the president, is not only wasteful but also deeply self-serving.”

 

He pointed out that Babangida, who originally commissioned and completed the project, never named it after himself. “Now, after a costly facelift, it has become a personal monument to Tinubu. That reeks of egotism and a blatant disregard for public sentiment.”

 

A Pattern of Lavish Spending

 

The ICC controversy is only the latest in what critics call a pattern of vanity-driven projects under President Tinubu. Among them:

 

₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project—just 30 km completed so far.

 

$100 million spent on a new Airbus A330 for the presidential fleet.

 

₦5 billion for renovating Dodan Barracks, the President’s Lagos residence.

 

₦4 billion for the Vice President’s Ikoyi residence.

 

₦21 billion to complete a new VP official residence.

 

₦5 billion for a presidential yacht, quietly inserted into the 2023 supplementary budget.

 

While the government has resolved the contentious minimum wage issue and started paying civil servants the new rates, other obligations—such as unpaid pensions and unfulfilled agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)—remain festering wounds.

 

“This Is Not Leadership”

 

Critics argue that true legacy is not carved in stone or engraved on public buildings, but built through transparent governance, inclusive policies, and impactful reforms.

 

“Leadership is about sacrifice, not indulgence,” Fayose said. “You don’t build a legacy by renaming conference halls or flying in luxury jets while retirees starve and students face academic instability.”

 

“Nigeria cannot afford to spend like a rich country while borrowing to survive,” Sani added. “This is not responsible leadership. It is reckless indulgence. And Nigeria deserves better.”