FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe Says FCT Residents Will Show Minister Wike He’s Unwanted in Upcoming LG Elections

 

As the 2025 local government elections in Nigeria draw near, political tension in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has begun to mount, with fresh criticism directed at the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the FCT in the Nigerian Senate, has fired a strong political warning, signaling that residents of the capital are prepared to use the ballot box to express their dissatisfaction with the Minister’s leadership.

During a candid interview with Channels Television, Senator Kingibe didn’t mince words as she described what she called a growing sense of alienation and disappointment among the FCT residents. She asserted that Minister Wike has failed to connect with the grassroots and does not understand the cultural or civic expectations of the people he was appointed to serve.

The Senator stated that local government elections have always served as a tool for FCT residents to express their approval or disapproval of ministers who oversee the territory. According to her, the 2025 elections will be no different, and this time, it may act as a referendum on Wike’s leadership.

“The local government elections are coming early next year. That is the moment when people of the FCT make it clear whether they like the Minister or not,” Kingibe said during the televised conversation. “FCT residents are not a people you can easily control. Those who have lived here long enough know that we are fiercely independent and conscious of how we are treated.”

Kingibe’s remarks reflect a broader frustration that has been quietly simmering among some segments of the FCT population. Critics argue that despite several high-profile infrastructural projects and bold policy statements, Wike’s administration has failed to address the daily realities faced by the average resident. Issues such as housing, transportation, access to primary healthcare, and education continue to generate widespread concern across the territory’s six area councils.

Wike, who previously served as governor of Rivers State, was appointed Minister of the FCT by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Since his appointment, he has embarked on several aggressive urban renewal projects, particularly in central Abuja. However, opponents argue that these efforts have often lacked inclusivity and have been implemented with a top-down approach that overlooks the voices of local communities, especially indigenous FCT groups.

Senator Kingibe noted that the unity among indigenous people of the FCT is strongest when it comes to rejecting perceived marginalization. She accused Wike of treating the residents with what she described as “disregard and contempt,” claiming that development alone is not enough when dignity and inclusion are missing from governance.

“The people of the FCT are united by one thing: their resentment of the Minister. It is not just about development. It is about how we are treated,” she said firmly.

This latest political exchange adds another layer to the evolving dynamics between elected federal lawmakers and appointed officials in the capital. It also highlights the unique nature of the FCT, which unlike other states, does not have a governor but is administered directly by a minister appointed by the president.

Political observers say the 2025 local government elections could serve as a litmus test for Wike’s political relevance in the FCT. While he remains a strong figure nationally, particularly within the People's Democratic Party (PDP), his local acceptance in the capital city is now being challenged in ways that may reshape his role going forward.

There is no official response yet from Wike or his office regarding Kingibe’s comments, but sources within the FCT administration suggest that the Minister remains focused on delivering his urban transformation agenda.

For now, the Senator’s bold remarks have stirred a political conversation that may gather more intensity as the election date approaches. The coming months will likely reveal whether her predictions of a political reckoning for the Minister will come to pass or whether Wike can realign his approach and regain the trust of the FCT electorate.

As Abuja gears up for a crucial local election season, the power struggle between legacy institutions, grassroots sentiments, and federal oversight continues to take center stage in Nigeria’s seat of power.