ABUJA — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the FCT in the National Assembly, accusing her of poor legislative performance, excessive media appearances and failure to adequately engage with her constituents.
Wike made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja while speaking on governance in the nation’s capital and the recent flooding experienced in parts of the FCT.
The minister was responding to concerns reportedly raised by Kingibe over alleged lack of cooperation between her office and the FCT Administration.
Wike said his responsibility as minister was to serve the entire FCT and work with all stakeholders rather than limit his engagements to a particular political office holder.
According to him, Kingibe’s position as an elected representative did not make her the sole voice of the FCT or give her exclusive access to the administration.
“That is the problem. She acts as if she is the sole lawmaker and as if the National Assembly is her private legislature. People ask me, ‘Why aren’t you working with her all the time?’ But I was not appointed to work with just one individual; I work with everyone,” Wike said.
The minister also accused the senator of using the media to draw attention to herself, particularly as the next election cycle approaches.
Wike urged Kingibe to return to her constituents and account for her performance in the National Assembly rather than relying on television appearances to communicate her concerns.
He challenged her to identify the bills she had sponsored and other legislative initiatives she had undertaken to address the challenges facing residents of the FCT.
“Don’t blame her for her comments; she is simply desperate because she has virtually lost the upcoming election. Instead of seeking media attention, she should go directly to the people and account for her stewardship. She should tell them what she has accomplished in the National Assembly and highlight the bills she has sponsored for the benefit of Abuja residents,” he said.
Wike further argued that effective representation required lawmakers to raise issues affecting their constituents on the floor of the National Assembly and pursue legislative solutions.
He criticised what he described as the practice of waiting until emergencies occur before seeking public attention through the media.
“As a legislator representing the people, you must advocate for their interests on the floor of the House and sponsor bills that directly improve their survival and welfare. You do not wait for a crisis to occur only to run to television stations, dressed in unfamiliar traditional attire just to curry public favour,” the minister said.
Wike maintained that he would not allow political differences to distract the FCT Administration from its responsibility of governing the territory.
He said genuine representation should involve regular consultation with constituents, identification of their needs and the pursuit of appropriate legislative interventions.
“If a lawmaker truly identifies the problems affecting their constituents, the proper approach is to table those issues before Parliament, engage in continuous dialogue with the electorate, and return to legislative business. Running around claiming, ‘I want to see the Minister’ or ‘I want to see the Governor’ is meaningless,” he added.
The minister also dismissed the suggestion that Kingibe’s media appearances could significantly influence public opinion about her performance.
According to Wike, residents of the FCT were capable of assessing the performance of their elected representatives and would ultimately determine whether they had been adequately represented.
“The reality is that she has done nothing, and the people are fully aware of it. No amount of criticism or media appearances on Channels TV or Arise TV will change the minds of the electorate, especially regarding the handling of the recent flooding. The people have already made up their minds,” he declared.
Wike’s comments come amid ongoing public discussions over the response of government authorities to flooding and other infrastructure challenges in the Federal Capital Territory.
