Senator Ireti Kingibe has launched scathing criticism against Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, accusing him of worsening living conditions for Abuja residents since taking office.
In a candid interview with Channels Television, the senator acknowledged Wike’s infrastructure projects but argued they fail to address the needs of most citizens.
“Yes, he’s building roads, but we don’t have public transport. So the bulk of Abuja residents do not benefit from the roads,” Kingibe stated, highlighting the disconnect between development projects and public needs.
The lawmaker particularly questioned Wike’s prioritization of projects like the International Conference Centre amid pressing issues of insecurity and unpaid salaries at the Federal Capital Development Authority.
Kingibe revealed disturbing details about the minister’s handling of sanitation workers: “The women who were sweeping the streets, they have done so through several ministers. Their situation was always protected because they were indigent women, widows.”
She explained how previous administrations maintained these workers as a social welfare measure: “It was our way of ensuring that they got… so whenever any minister comes along and wants to replace them with street sweepers, the trucks, we talk to him and say, no, we need them to do this. He leaves it.”
However, Kingibe accused Wike of unilateral action: “The current minister came without consultation with anybody. In fact, not without consultation. In spite of imploration, he fired them all.”
The senator painted a grim picture of the consequences: “He has not replaced them with anything. So we FCT has had a minister who most FCT residents will say, came to what made life as difficult as possible.”