By Deborah Nnamdi
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Senator Ireti Kingibe will not secure re-election to the Senate in 2027, insisting that her tenure lacks visible projects that could justify another term.
Kingibe, who represents the FCT in the National Assembly, was elected in 2023 on the platform of the Labour Party but has since defected to the African Democratic Congress. Political tensions between the two figures have persisted, particularly over governance and development issues in the territory.
The senator recently accused the minister of being uncooperative in efforts to deliver projects to residents of the FCT. Appearing on Politics Today on Channels Television, she alleged that despite formally writing to the minister to seek collaboration on improving infrastructure and services, she had not received a positive response.
Responding during a media parley in Abuja on Monday, Wike stood by his earlier prediction that Kingibe would not return to the Senate, linking his stance to what he described as her lack of tangible development initiatives.
“I had said it more than one year ago, Senator Ireti, you won’t come back as a senator. That’s why you people don’t like people who tell you the truth. It’s bitter. Let her show one project,” he said.
The minister also argued that the senator has not maintained sufficient presence in satellite communities within the FCT, which he noted often record high voter turnout during elections.
Addressing criticism from opposition parties over his visits to polling units during the February 21 FCT area council elections, Wike defended his actions, stating that as the territory’s chief security officer, he had the right to monitor activities at voting centres. He maintained that his movements did not influence the outcome of the polls.
“I have the rights, I am the governor of 3,000 polling units. For security, I have to find out what is going on. I don’t have to be told, I am not a candidate for the election,” he stated.
He added that even if he visited a few polling units out of the over 3,000 in the FCT, it would not have affected the overall results. According to him, the opposition’s poor preparation contributed to their performance, while the victories recorded by the All Progressives Congress reflected the effectiveness of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
