Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has won the FirstNews Man of the Year 2023 Award.

The Rivers-born politician was conferred with the award “based on the unparalleled legacies that he left behind at the end of his eight years of unprecedented leadership of his beloved Rivers State”, the Chairman/Publisher of First Media Network Limited, Publishers FirstNews Online Newspaper, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in a statement issued on Sunday.

Iworiso-Markson, a former Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Orientation in Bayelsa State said following his election as the Executive Governor of Rivers State in 2015, Wike practically opened the floodgates to life-transforming projects for the people of his beloved state as he fully exhibited his knack for inaugurating and commissioning projects upon projects.

He said: “Wike and projects are like Siamese twins. Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was, therefore, not at all wrong, but very apt in nicknaming Wike ‘Mr Projects’. His Excellency's plethora of monumental achievements in governance is mind-boggling. His administration in Rivers State blazed the trail in so many areas of development and progression.

“There is no iota of doubt that Wike left Rivers State far better than he met it eight years ago. His legacies, of course, transcends the monumental infrastructural development he championed throughout his leadership tenure in the state. It is trite to say that his life-transforming projects within eight years will outlive the current generation of residents in Rivers State.”

The announcement of Wike's award came on the heels of FirstNews’ successful celebration of its third anniversary with the hosting of its 3rd National Public Lecture with the theme, “The Nigerian Question: Survival of the Federation in the throes of Increasing Economic Challenges”, delivered by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.

Multi-Guinness World Record holder, Prof. Chris Imafidon, was the second Keynote Speaker during the public lecture, while globally renowned speaker, trainer and business adviser, David Parrish, also delivered a special paper titled, “Creative Economy” during the lecture on the occasion.

Other speakers included the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, and retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali.

On the panel at the public lecture were Prof. Ali Alao Babatunde; former Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col Milland Dikio (retd); Dr. Matthew Ayibakuro and renowned broadcaster and journalist, Mr Boason Omofaye.