“She Is an Illiterate… That Is Why She Is Not Going Back to the Senate” — Wike Hits Kingibe

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has fired back at Senator Ireti Kingibe over allegations concerning the FCT Administration’s borrowing, insisting that loans secured by the territory were obtained through due process and with the approval of the National Assembly.

Wike spoke on Tuesday while addressing journalists during an inspection of ongoing road projects across the FCT.

The minister’s reaction followed criticism from Kingibe, who had questioned the administration’s decision to obtain loans and alleged that the borrowings were not properly approved.

Wike rejected the allegation, arguing that the FCT Administration could not legally obtain loans without following the required budgetary and legislative procedures.

“There is no way you can go and take a loan without the approval of the National Assembly. Once you take a loan, you include it in the budget that the government is going to collect a loan,” he said.

The minister, however, went beyond the issue of borrowing, launching a personal attack on the senator and questioning her political future.

“She is an illiterate, with all due respect, and that is why she is not going back to the Senate. She has nothing to offer to the people of the FCT,” Wike said.

He also dismissed the need to engage further with Kingibe’s criticism, saying he believed residents had already made their political choice ahead of the 2027 elections.

Wike referenced President Bola Tinubu and former senator Philip Aduda while discussing the forthcoming senatorial contest in the FCT.

“I don’t want to comment about her. When the time is right, let her pack her bags out. The people have made their choice by agreeing to support President Tinubu and then support Philip Aduda for Senate,” he said.

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The minister argued that Kingibe’s concern should instead be whether borrowed funds were being used for projects that directly benefit residents.

“If her problem is that I took a loan, I am using it to work. I thought her concern would have been: are we applying the loan to work for the interest of residents?” Wike said.

He pointed to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of roads across the capital as evidence of where the administration was directing resources.

Wike also suggested that the timing of Kingibe’s criticism was connected to the renewed political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

With the campaign period for presidential and National Assembly elections now underway, the minister said the projects being executed across the territory would also allow residents to assess the administration’s performance.

“Look at what we are doing. That is the campaign,” Wike said, arguing that completed and ongoing infrastructure projects would speak for themselves.

During the inspection tour, Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on several road projects, including the N1 road and routes stretching from Tunga Madaki towards Zuba and Kagini.

He said the projects would improve connectivity and generate economic benefits for residents of communities along the affected corridors.

According to the minister, the ultimate measure of governance should be its impact on ordinary people, particularly through infrastructure that improves movement, supports businesses and opens up rural communities to greater economic activity.