By Admin:
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has re-inaugurated the renovated Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC) on Tuesday in Abuja and directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to pay for the use of the facility to ensure its upkeep and long-term sustainability.
At the event, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike announced renaming the Centre, which opened in 1991, as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
Recalling his previous visit to the Centre during the 2024 ECOWAS Parliament conference, President Tinubu recounted his shock at its poor state.
“When I attended the ECOWAS Parliament conference, the environment was dirty, disorganised, and uninhabitable. I turned to Mr. Wike and said, ‘This Conference Centre does not reflect who we are. Have we sunk this low?’ He replied, ‘No, bear with us. We will do whatever we can to transform the place.’ Today, I am very happy.”
“The International Conference Centre is part of our country’s larger vision to become a hub for regional diplomacy, continental trade discussions, global partnerships, and other thoughtful, well-outlined goals that reflect our ‘Nigeria First’ principle,” President Tinubu said.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu further assured Nigerians of his administration’s determination to revitalise infrastructure across key sectors, including transportation, healthcare, education, energy, and urban development.
Applauding Wike for his vision and execution, President Tinubu said: “Do not pay attention to the busybodies and bystanders. Whatever they say, continue your good work. You are a transformational leader with foresight, vision, and determination.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the FCT Administration for naming halls at the Centre after the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
He lauded the collaborative spirit between the executive, legislature, and judiciary under President Tinubu’s leadership.
“Mr. President, this transformation would not have been possible without your leadership. Many presidents have come here, but none said this was not what Nigeria needed because they lacked your courage and vision,” he said.
He stressed the need for financial discipline in maintaining the newly upgraded facility,
“Whether you are a ministry or an agency, you must pay something to use this facility. That is the only way we can sustain it. No such thing as ‘my brother’ or ‘my sister’ wants to use it for a wedding. If you want to use a beautiful place like this, you must pay something,” he said.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre is among several capital projects scheduled for commissioning by President Tinubu in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as part of activities marking his second anniversary in office.
Wike explains Why the International Conference Centre was Named After Tinubu
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has offered a heartfelt explanation for renaming Abuja’s newly rehabilitated International Conference Centre after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling it a tribute to visionary leadership that delivers results.
Speaking during the commissioning of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Wike stated that the name was not chosen out of sentiment or politics, but as a recognition of the President’s decisive intervention in revamping the once-deplorable facility.
“It is important to understand why we named it the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre. This building was constructed in 1991 under a military government. Since then, it had been abandoned, with nothing to show for decades,” Wike explained.
The turning point, Wike revealed, came in December of the previous year when President Tinubu visited the facility during the inauguration of the ECOWAS Parliament.
“Mr. President, you came here and you were clearly embarrassed by the state of this place. You said this is not worthy to be called Nigeria’s International Conference Centre. You challenged us to change it, and that single statement is what gave us the push,” Wike recalled.
According to the Minister, within just eight months of receiving that directive, the FCT administration took action, rehabilitating the centre to world-class standards.
“Without your leadership, we would not be standing here today. Many presidents have come and gone, but none gave that kind of marching order. That’s what makes you different,” Wike said.
Wike emphasized that the decision to name the centre after Tinubu was to immortalize the President’s commitment to national transformation and to serve as a reminder of what can be achieved when leaders take responsibility.
“Our problem has always been leadership. When you have the right leadership, things will get done, and this is what you have shown, Mr. President,” Wike stated.
He also addressed sustainability concerns, urging ministries, agencies, and individuals to respect the facility and contribute to its maintainace.
“This place will not be a free-for-all. Whether you’re a government agency or planning an event, you must pay. That’s the only way we can sustain this quality,” Wike warned.
The FCT Minister also revealed the political resistance the project faced, including a court case filed by a previous political appointee who had mismanaged the centre.
He credited President Tinubu’s unwavering support in resisting the pressure and moving forward with the rehabilitation.
“People fought us. A politician even went to court to stop us. But you told us to go ahead ,and this is the result of that courage,” he said.
In further recognition of other national leaders, Wike announced that various halls within the complex have been named after the Vice President- Kashim Shettima, Senate President – Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas and the Chief Justice of Nigeria- Kudirat Kekere – Ekun, symbolizing the unity of Nigeria’s three arms of government.
