Apologise To Me, Senator Ireti Kingibe Tells Wike

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, July 31st, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has asked for an apology from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, concerning the statement of Wike concerning her.

It is worth recalling that Wike, who is the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Kingibe have been at loggerheads concerning the running of the FCT administration.

The senator had accused the former governor of not carrying her along concerning programmes and projects in the FCT which the minister stated that he’s not obligated to do so.

Also, Kingibe alleged that the former Governor is trying to rubbish her efforts so that her predecessor, Senator Philip Aduda of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whom she defeated in the 2023 election, will take over her seat in 2027.

In what looked to be a confirmation of the senator’s claim, Wike, speaking at the Flag-off of the Mabushi Bus Terminal in Abuja cautioned Kingibe that she would lose the support of the FCT residents in the next election.

He also stated that it was disappointing that Kingibe instead of working with the FCT Administration, she is frustrated that the residents of FCT are heaping praises on President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Kingibe, reacting, stated that the former governor does not know the concept of leadership in the FCT and courtesy demands that Wike should not speak to her in such a manner.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm programme, the senator stated that she was far older than the minister.

“He doesn’t obviously understand the concept of the FCT. If he did, it is nothing personal. He says, ‘I don’t want to be her friend.’ How does governance translate into friendship?

“I’m actually willing to do everything to work with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory as long as he apologises first for saying I should go and hang on a transformer.

“Once he does that, it is all over. We can start afresh but until then, everybody stays in your lane. With all due respect, I am so much older than him. Even courtesy demands he should not speak to me like that,” she said