Tinubu’s greatest mistake was appointing Wike as FCT Minister – Kingibe

Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Senate, has launched a scathing attack on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, accusing him of running an autocratic administration and disregarding constitutional provisions in managing the affairs of Nigeria’s capital.

Speaking during an explosive interview on ARISE News on Monday, Kingibe didn’t hold back as she criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to appoint Wike as FCT Minister, labeling it the “greatest wrong” of his administration thus far.

“The primary thing is that the minister doesn’t obey the rule of law. He’s autocratic. He doesn’t follow any rules or any laws. And when you try to draw his attention that governance is based on the rule of law, he doesn’t accept that,” Kingibe stated.

She accused the former Rivers State governor of illegally reintroducing agencies without legislative backing. “He brought back agencies without enabling laws. If he wants these things, he should ask the National Assembly to create the enabling laws, but he doesn’t. He just feels he can do anything,” she added.

Citing one example, she alleged that Wike revoked 7,000 hectares out of 11,000 originally allocated to the University of Abuja. A move she described as a direct violation of the Land Use Act. “You cannot take land from an institution and hand it to individuals. That’s illegal,” she said.

On the issue of street cleaners, the senator said Wike abruptly terminated the jobs of indigent women without replacing them. “Abuja is looking dirty. Every minister before him allowed these poor women, many of them widows, to clean the streets. Wike comes in, fires them, and doesn’t even bring in mechanical sweepers.”

She also accused the minister of refusing to pay hundreds of small indigenous contractors in Abuja, claiming he rejected their claims because he didn’t award the jobs himself.

When asked about Wike’s perceived popularity in recent opinion polls, Kingibe dismissed the results. “You’re talking about polls. It depends on who conducted them. Local government elections are coming. Let’s see if he can ask people to vote a certain way and they’ll obey.”

She didn’t hold back in criticising President Tinubu’s choice of Wike for the role. “If I were making a list of all the things that President Tinubu has done wrong, the greatest wrong he’s done to himself. The thing that has demarketed him the most has been Minister Wike.”

The senator went further to claim that Wike revoked land in Bwari meant for a general hospital and reassigned it for use as a market or mall. “He’s even harassing embassies over ground rent,” she said.

On whether she fears the consequences of her constant criticism, Kingibe said she remains unfazed. “I’m definitely not afraid of him. I’m not saying he should be afraid of me either. But he should be aware that most things he does, I will know.”

She disclosed that after an oversight trip to Sokoto, a black jeep followed her home, raising security concerns, but added, “I’m a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have rights… It’s God who protects.”

Asked if there’s any chance of working with the minister for the good of the FCT, she said: “I cannot force him. Even letters I write to him, he doesn’t respond. If he’s too big to reply himself, he should at least have an aide respond.”

The senator also confirmed she has parted ways with the Labour Party, officially aligning with the Action Democratic Congress (ADC). “Well, I will defect, but I haven’t officially done so yet. For some months now I have been party-less,” she said.

When asked directly if her next move is with the ADC, she replied: “Oh, definitely.”

According to her, political aspirants are already picking tickets in the ADC and the party is gearing up for a showdown with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the FCT by 2026.