1st July, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Mr Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday lashed out at Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the territory for accusing him of non performance.
Wike who spoke during the inauguration of the construction of Mabushi Bus Terminal, Phase I, in Abuja on Monday did not mention the name of the lawmaker, who, according to him, faulted the encomiums being poured on him over his performance as Minister.
But he said that he overheard somebody, a lawmaker in the National Assembly in Arise TV in the morning, castigating the successes being recorded in FCT.
However, Sen. Ireti Kingibe (LP-FCT), had appeared on Arise TV on Monday during which she complained that she was being sidelined in the running of the FCT by the Minister.
Kingibe particularly claimed that her constituency was being marginalised, adding that there was no clean water for the residents of Abuja.
She also said that roads being constructed across the FCT by Wike were not addressing the needs of the majority of the people, namely healthcare, water, education and security.
She added that while Wike may be a great minister in a Ministry that has no people, he has not lived up to expectations of residents of Abuja by meeting their needs.
According to him, apart from infrastructure and roads, the Minister also has to take into consideration the needs of the people across the communities in FCT.
“The minister of FCT is almost acting as governor for the President. Just like people took me on when those roads were commissioned.
“That is the difference, it is just like a governor telling you he built some roads, so he doesn’t care what the needs of people are. They FCT people have needs. The people are not impressed.”
Therefore, when Wike spoke few hours later there was no mistaken the fact that his target was Kingibe.
The Minister who threatened to unseat the Senator faulted criticisms of his administration particularly on the rot in schools and the absence of quality hospitals in the territory.
Wike queried the Senator on what she has done to better the lots of her constituents since she was elected.
“You, as a legislator, what have you done? How many bills have you sponsored for us to improve our education and health sector?
“I challenge that legislator. If you are very popular, in 2027 come and run under Abuja, we will fail you.
“Do you think that what happened last time will happen again? It will not happen again.
“Luckily for me, I am the FCT Minister now. So that is my territory and I’m not afraid,” he said.
Wike further said: “With all due respect, what you don’t know, you don’t know, what you know you know.
”The good thing for you is to tell people you don’t know when you don’t know, then people will educate you.
“The Honourable Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud and my humble self, have not been in office for more than 11 months and the person is angry that people are praising us.
“If you don’t want or you are angry about that, go and hang yourself in a transformer.
“If we have done well; we have done well. If we haven’t done well; we haven’t done well. I’m proud to say that in the short time that President Tinubu has appointed us, we have done well.”
The minister warned that if the Senator was angry with the praises they were receiving for doing a good job, “by next year, your blood pressure level will go very high.
“This is because the praises you would see would be too much,” he said.
