Human rights activist and community organizer Rhyne Manasseh Ashukus, widely known as the Revolutionary Chief Priest, has fired a sharp open letter to Chairman-elect Comrade Kasim Mohammed Ikwa, urging him to hit the ground running with transparency, accountability and visible impact — or risk inheriting the same “failure disease” that marred the outgoing administration of Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri (popularly called Abu Giri).
In a strongly worded Facebook post published Tuesday, the activist, who has repeatedly clashed with the current council leadership over alleged abuses of power, declared: “Power is not a throne of comfort, it is a covenant with the masses.”
He listed two immediate non-negotiable tasks for the incoming PDP chairman:
1. Complete the Chairman’s House Phase One without delay.
“An unfinished structure reflects unfinished leadership,” Manasseh wrote. “Let that building stand not as a monument of waste, but as a symbol of order, coordination, and administrative presence.”
2. Publicly declare the exact amount met in the Area Council account and all inherited debts.
“Let the books be opened. Let the figures be known. When leaders hide numbers, suspicion multiplies; when leaders reveal numbers, trust expands.”
The Revolutionary Chief Priest did not mince words in bashing the Abu Giri era, describing it as the “Abu Giri failure disease” — a contagious sickness of “abandoned promises, poor management, and political negligence” that must not be allowed to infect the new administration.
A Regime Dogged by Controversy
Abu Giri, who returned as Executive Chairman in 2022 after an earlier defeat, has faced sustained public criticism throughout his tenure. Key low points include:
Salary crises and worker hardship: In July 2025, the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) shut down the secretariat and all health centres after three months of unpaid salaries. Giri blamed a court garnishee order over contractor debts but promised quick resolution. Similar complaints from teachers led to a 7-day ultimatum, with union leaders accusing the council of leaving workers drowning in debt while the chairman’s private hotel businesses reportedly thrived.
Shady contracts and journalist persecution: Chronicles Reporters’ own investigations exposed a controversial N250 million solar street-light contract allegedly awarded to a political associate, with N50 million paid upfront. When our journalist Manasseh Paul filed a Freedom of Information request, the council claimed all records were with the ICPC and unavailable. The journalist was subsequently assaulted, arrested, beaten in police custody, denied medical care and lawyer access, and faced death threats — actions activists directly linked to the chairman and his associates.
Land grabbing allegations: In 2023, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) accused the council of illegally seizing University of Abuja mini-campus land, deploying armed thugs and attempting to sell portions to political allies. NANS issued a 7-day ultimatum and re-occupied the site.
Infrastructure neglect and unfinished projects: Communities in areas like Old Kutunku and Keida Road have repeatedly lamented poor access roads, absence of schools and health facilities, and general neglect — despite occasional token gestures such as a few solar street lights. Questions have also swirled around the status of the Chairman’s House project itself, with critics pointing to it as emblematic of abandoned or poorly executed initiatives.
Lack of transparency: Multiple Freedom of Information battles, including ongoing court actions involving Chronicles Reporters, have sought to force open years of council financial records, with claims of hidden dealings and EFCC/ICPC scrutiny.
Manasseh reminded the incoming leadership that history is watching: “This is not the time for excuses. This is the time for discipline. This is the time for visible results.”
He concluded with a clear warning — and an olive branch: “If he leads with transparency, finishes what is before him, and keeps the council active and accountable, the people will defend him. But if he forgets the masses, the same masses will remember.”
The certificate of return has been issued to Comrade Kasim Mohammed Ikwa following the February 2026 Area Council elections, in which the PDP secured the Gwagwalada chairmanship for the first time in recent cycles.
Residents and stakeholders say they are waiting to see whether the new administration will break from the past or repeat it.
The Revolutionary Chief Priest has spoken. The people of Gwagwalada are listening — and watching.