‘You won’t return to Senate’ – Wike again tells Ireti Kingibe
By Omeiza Ajayi
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has asserted that FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe will not return to the National Assembly in 2027, labeling her as “illiterate” and defending the legality of loans taken by the FCT Administration.
Wike’s comments came during a press briefing on Tuesday while he inspected ongoing road projects in the FCT. The minister’s remarks followed accusations from Senator Kingibe that he had secured loans without proper authorization.
“With all due respect, she is an illiterate, and that is why she will not be returning to the Senate. She has nothing to offer to the people of the FCT,” Wike stated. “There is no way to obtain a loan without the National Assembly’s approval. Any loan will be included in the budget, indicating the government’s intention to borrow.”
Wike opted not to elaborate further on Kingibe’s allegations, suggesting she was losing political relevance as residents shift their support towards President Bola Tinubu and his candidate for the FCT senatorial seat, Philip Aduda.
“I will not comment on her further. When the time comes, she should prepare to exit the political arena. The people have made their choice to back President Tinubu and Philip Aduda for the Senate,” Wike said. “We should not waste time responding to those who have failed in all aspects.”
Wike emphasized that the pertinent issue for Kingibe should have been whether the borrowed funds were being utilized for development. “If her concern is that I took a loan, I want to know if we are applying that loan towards the interests of the residents. She seems to think we cannot run infrastructure without loans, which is her primary concern,” he added.
The minister also characterized Kingibe’s criticism as politically motivated, occurring amid the recent lifting of campaign restrictions for the presidential and National Assembly elections. He highlighted his project inspections as evidence of his administration’s progress leading up to the elections.
“When is the time to campaign? Look at what we are doing. That is the campaign. As the ban on campaigning for the President and National Assembly has been lifted, I am demonstrating our efforts on the ground,” he said. “People will see the work being done and support President Tinubu.”
Following his project inspections, Wike expressed satisfaction with the advancements made on various sites, including the N1 road and extensions from Tunga Madaki to Zuba and Kagini. He indicated that these projects, once completed, would significantly benefit the local economies of the affected rural communities, asserting that the well-being of the residents is the core objective of governance.
