The lawmaker representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senatorial District, Ireti Kingibe, has stated that the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has failed to engage with elected representatives in the territory.
She made this statement during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on Wednesday night, while discussing Wike’s performance as FCT minister.
The senator acknowledged that the minister has recorded some achievements, particularly in road construction, but faulted him for what she described as repeated disregard for the rule of law.
She recounted writing a letter to Wike to commend the rehabilitation of her street, Kunene Close, clarifying that the gesture was misconstrued as a sign of political alignment.
She said, “Anytime anybody does something commendable, I will commend them. That letter was simply to thank him for rehabilitating a road that had been neglected, not because it was my street.”
Kingibe, however, said oversight remains her constitutional duty as a legislator.
“The minister does some good things, but he also does not follow the rule of law lots of times. It is my job to draw his attention to lapses. It is not personal,” she said.
She lamented the absence of regular consultative meetings between the FCT minister and elected lawmakers, noting that previous ministers held monthly engagements to discuss the needs of residents.
“It is going on three years since the minister was appointed, and I have never sat with him in any forum,” she said, adding that issues such as waste management and security remain major concerns in the territory.
She expressed hope that the new year would bring about better cooperation between the FCT minister and elected representatives, saying that improved synergy would ultimately serve the best interests of the nation’s capital residents.