The Minister of the FCT Nyesom Wike has vowed to ensure that the senator representing the territory, Ireti Kingibe does not return to the lawmaking house in the next election.

Wike spoke on Monday at the flag-off ceremony of the construction of the Mabushi Bus Terminal in Abuja.

“If we have done well, we have done well. If we haven’t done well, we haven’t done well. I am proud to say that in the short time that President Tinubu has appointed us, we have done well,” the FCT minister said.

“You said there are no schools and hospitals. You, as a legislator, what have you done? How many bills have you sponsored for us to improve our education and health sectors?

“I challenge that legislator. If you are very popular, in 2027, come and run under Abuja; we will fail you.

“You think that what happened last time will happen again? It will not happen again. If you are popular, come and run. Luckily for me, I am the FCT minister now. So, here is my territory, and I am not afraid.

“People should be able to accept the truth. We are not begging for anybody to be our friend. We have so many friends that we cannot even carry them along. So, how can we go and beg people to be our friends? We are not interested in that.”

Senator Kingibe is yet to comment on the matter as of now.
Wike, Kingibe Face-Off
Kingibe, a Labour Party (LP) member, had defeated Philip Aduda, a Wike ally in the 2023 election, to become the senator representing the FCT.

Since then, Wike and Kingibe have been at loggerheads with the senator accusing the FCT minister of sidelining her despite representing the capital territory.

Wike had claimed that Kingibe’s attacks on him were because she was not appointed as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on the FCT.
Amid the insecurity affecting the capital city, Senator Kingibe accused Wike of not taking her calls. She later accused him of not having the interest of FCT residents at heart.