Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has told the senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, that she will not return to the Senate in 2027, as he defended the FCT Administration’s borrowing for infrastructure projects.
According to Vanguard, Wike made the remarks on Tuesday while responding to questions from journalists during an inspection of ongoing road projects in the FCT.
Kingibe had accused the FCT Administration of obtaining loans without the approval of the National Assembly, a claim the minister rejected. The dispute comes amid an ongoing political disagreement between the two officials over the management and development of the nation’s capital.
Wike said Kingibe’s claim showed a lack of understanding of the process for obtaining government loans.
“She is an illiterate, with all due respect, and that is why she is not going back to the Senate. She has nothing to offer to the people of the FCT. There is no way you can go and take a loan without the approval of the National Assembly. Anyone take a loan, you will include it in the budget; this aspect of the budget, the government is going to collect loan,” the minister said.
FCT Lawmaker, Ireti Kinigbe
He said he would not spend more time responding to the senator, insisting that residents had already made their political choice ahead of the 2027 election.
“I don’t want to comment about her. When the time is right, let her pack her bags out, the people have made their choice by agreeing to support President Tinubu, and then will support Philip Aduda for Senate. So, let us not waste our time reacting to inferiors who failed in all ramifications. I don’t want to react to it, I am above that,” he said.
Wike, who has previously backed former senator Philip Aduda for the FCT Senate seat, said the focus should be on whether borrowed funds were being used to execute projects for residents rather than on the fact that the administration had borrowed money.
