Senator Ireti Kingibe, the lawmaker representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has openly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to appoint Nyesom Wike as the Minister of the FCT, calling it his “greatest mistake” so far in office.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, Kingibe did not hold back in her assessment of Wike’s leadership style, describing it as autocratic, unconstitutional, and disconnected from the rule of law.
“The primary thing is that the minister doesn’t obey the rule of law. He’s autocratic. He doesn’t follow any rules or any laws,” Kingibe said. “And when you try to draw his attention to the fact that governance must be guided by law, he simply ignores it.”
According to her, Wike has been reinstating defunct agencies without obtaining the necessary legal backing from the National Assembly a move she insists violates legislative processes.
“Minister Wike has brought back agencies without enabling laws. If he needs them, he should ask the National Assembly to create those laws. But he doesn’t, because he believes he can do anything,” she added.
Senator Kingibe also accused the FCT Minister of illegally revoking lands previously allocated to institutions. She cited the University of Abuja as a key example, alleging that Wike revoked 7,000 out of 11,000 hectares originally assigned to the university a move she says violates the Land Use Act.
“It is unlawful to take land from an educational institution to give it to private individuals,” she emphasized.
In addition to the land issue, Kingibe pointed out the social impact of Wike’s policies. She claimed that the Minister had abruptly fired thousands of indigent women who previously worked as street sweepers across Abuja a job that served as a vital means of survival for many widows and underprivileged women.
“Every other minister has kept those women. Even when some tried to bring in mechanical sweepers, we resisted to protect these livelihoods. But he came and dismissed them all — and didn’t even replace them with machines. That’s why Abuja is looking dirty today,” she said.
Summing up her criticism, the senator declared that Wike’s presence in Tinubu’s cabinet has done more harm than good to the administration.
“It’s my personal opinion that among all of President Tinubu’s missteps, appointing Wike has been the most damaging. It has cost his government dearly.”
