The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, on Monday criticized the senator representing the territory, Ireti Heebah Kingibe, claiming she would lose the support of the people in the next election.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony for the Mabushi Bus Terminal in Abuja, Wike expressed disappointment over Kingibe’s perceived lack of collaboration with the FCT Administration. He accused her of being upset that residents are praising President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“I overheard somebody on Arise TV this morning. Unfortunately, I hear the person is a member of the National Assembly and it is unfortunate I say so. With all due respect, what you don’t know, you don’t know, what you know you know, and the good thing for you is to tell people you don’t when you don’t know, then people will educate you,” Wike said.
“The Honourable Minister of state and my humble self-have not been in office for more than 11 months and the person is angry that they are praising us. If you don’t want or you are angry about that, go and hang yourself on a transformer. If we have done well, we have done well. If we haven’t done well, we haven’t done well. I am proud to say that in the short time that Mr. President has appointed us, we have done well.”
Wike also challenged Kingibe’s legislative record, questioning what she had accomplished for the FCT’s education and health sectors. “You said there are no hospital and there are no hospitals. You, as a legislator, what have you done? How many bills have you sponsored for us to improve our education and health sector?” he asked.
Predicting Kingibe’s political future, Wike said, “I challenge that legislator. If you are very popular, 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 further stated, “So, People should be able to come out and be able to accept the truth. We are not begging for anybody to become our friend; we have so many friends that we cannot even carry along. So how can we go and be begging people to become our friends. We are not interested in that.”
Wike concluded by warning that continued praise for the current administration would increase, potentially causing distress for its critics. “If you are angry that people are praising us, by next year your BP level will go very high because the praises you would see would be too much,” he said.
Kingibe had earlier criticized the Wike-led administration on a television program, stating she is not a friend of the minister.
