Politicians have urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nyesom Wike, to order following his threat to block the re-election of the lone senator of the nation’s capital, Ireti Kingibe, in 2027.
The Labour Party (LP) has demanded a reprimand of the minister, reminding him that while he is just an appointee of the president, Kingibe was elected by the people of the territory.
Giving this position in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, the Chairman of LP in the FCT, Peter Dugwu, also affirmed that Wike’s attack on the senator was an attack on LP under which she was elected.
He said the LP will respond appropriately to the minister at the forthcoming Area Councils’ election in the FCT as a precursor to the 2027 general election.
“We are advising President Tinubu to call Wike to order
“He is just an appointed minister by the president. For Ireti, election into the Senate in the FCT has a process in which Ireti satisfied, meeting all the requirements before becoming a senator,” he said.
The party boss reminded Wike that his threat amounts to nothing, while Senator Kingibe’s qualification to become a candidate was purely the duty of the party guided by its constitution for primaries.
“We do not know on whose authority he is speaking. We want him to know that. This is not Rivers and the FCT is not an extension of Rivers state.
“It is the LP that would decide whether Ireti is coming back or not, not Wike. He does not have any right or locus of asking her to go and focus on 2027, that is not his business.
“Does he not know that he is a tenant in FCT merely appointed by the president and if Mr. President decides to remove him, he will be removed without any ceremony.”
Meanwhile, the national chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr Ajuji Ahmed, described Wike’s attack on Senator Kingibe as verbal violence.
He told the Nigerian Tribune that Wike does not have the power to stop other politicians’ re-election because he is not the one that brought such politicians to the office in the first instance.
“That (the attack) amounts to verbal violence because there is no reason why he (Wike) should do that. He is not in the LP. It was LP that elected her. He has nothing to do with LP and he is not the entire electorate of the FCT. There is no way somebody can stop someone from being re-elected in three years time. It’s not a savoury statement.”
Noting that Kingibe is a member of the opposition, Ahmed observed that the threat on her is uncalled for.
Chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, also described the verbal exchange between Wike and the FCT as bad.
He appealed to the two public officers to sheathe swords and collaborate for the overall progress of the FCT.
“ For me, it is all politics. But it is unfortunate that they allowed their political differences to affect their service to the people
“The senator representing FCT represents all Abuja and the entire Abuja has one FCT minister
“It is the National Assembly that presides over Abuja. One would have expected the two to work together. But it is bad that they are fighting each other,” he said.
While asking the duo to exercise caution, Chief Okorie expressed reservations over Wike’s threat to unseat Senator Kingibe in the 2027 general election.
“What Wike said is a statement that came too early. It is only God that will predict and decide 2027. The realignment is just building up. It won’t be like what we saw in 2023
“By 2027, there will be a compelling need for actual transmission of results in real time. So, nobody will sit in one corner and write the results of the election,” he said.
The senator claimed that the FCT Senator has abandoned her legislative business in fighting the FCT minister whom he noted she should collaborate with.
Recall that Wike’s threat followed remarks made by Senator Kingibe during an appearance on Arise News programme, “The Morning Show,” on Monday where she alleged that the FCT’s minister’s programme is not beneficial to the residents of the territory.
She said beyond the provision of road infrastructure, the minister who acts as governor of the territory must consider the immediate needs of the people.
But speaking while inaugurating the Mabushi Bus Terminal, Phase I, in Abuja on Monday, Wike vowed to deal with the lawmaker for allegedly castigating him.
While not directly naming Kingibe, the minister said he overheard a member of the national assembly criticising his actions on the television station.
ALSO READ: Accident claims life of UNIMAID Professor
