2027: ‘You’re Not Returning To Senate’, Wike Tells Kingibe

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the FCT in the National Assembly, will not return to the Senate after the 2027 general election.

Wike made the declaration on Tuesday while speaking with journalists during an inspection of ongoing road projects across the nation’s capital.

The FCT Minister was reacting to criticism by Kingibe over the administration’s loans for infrastructure development in the territory.

Wike dismissed the senator’s position, describing her as “illiterate” and insisting that the FCT Administration had followed due process in securing loans, including obtaining the necessary approval of the National Assembly.

“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,” Wike said.

He added: “There is no way you can go and take a loan without the approval of the National Assembly. Anyone taking a loan, you will include it in the budget that this aspect of this budget, the government is going to collect loan.”

Wike further said he was not interested in engaging Kingibe in a prolonged political exchange, claiming that residents of the FCT had already made their choice ahead of the 2027 senatorial 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,” he said.

He continued: “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.”

Addressing the controversy over the loans, Wike said Kingibe’s focus should have been on how the borrowed funds were being utilised rather than on the fact that the administration had secured loans.

“I thought she would criticise that I am doing nothing. So, if her problem is that I took a loan, if I took a loan, I am using it to work,” the minister said.

According to him, the more important question should be whether the borrowed funds were being deployed to projects that would benefit residents of the FCT.

Wike also linked the criticism to the commencement of the campaign season for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, saying the ongoing inspection of projects was itself an opportunity to showcase the achievements of the Federal Government.

“When is the time to campaign? Look at what we are doing. That is the campaign. The ban on campaign has been lifted for the President and National Assembly, am I not right?” he asked.

“As I finish now, then she know what we are doing, and they are seeing every road, and tell everyone that this is what President Tinubu is doing.”

Wike said he was satisfied with the level of work on the projects inspected, including the N1 road and other stretches linking Tunga Madaki with Zuba and Kagini.

He said the completion of the projects would improve economic activities and ease transportation for residents, particularly those living in rural communities, adding that improving the welfare of the people remained the primary objective of governance.