Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Heebah Kingibe have engaged in a row of words over the spate of infrastructural development in the region.
Kingibe had in an interview castigated the Wike-led administration, and said she is not a friend of the Minister.
She said her constituents are complaining that Wike’s concentration has been on areas where the elite live, saying the Minister has done some commendable jobs in the city, but it has not trickled down to the masses.
Kingibe said in a Supplementary Budget of nearly N100 billion, only N19 billion has anything to do with the people.
Replying Kingibe, Wike said Kingibe would lose the support of the people in the next election.
Speaking at the Flag-off of the Mabushi Bus Terminal in Abuja, Wike said it was disheartening that instead of collaborating with the FCT Administration, Kingibe was instead angry that residents are praising the President Bola Tinubu administration.
He said, “I overheard somebody on Arise TV this morning. Unfortunately I hear the person is a member of the National Assembly and it is unfortunate I say so. With all due respect, what you don’t know, you don’t know, what you know you know, and the good thing for you is to tell people you don’t when you don’t know, then people will educate you.
“The Honourable Minister of state and my humble self have not been in office for more than 11 months and the person is angry that they are praising us. If you don’t want or you are angry about that, go and hang yourself on a transformer. If we have done well, we have done well. If we haven’t done well, we haven’t done well. I am proud to say that in the short time that Mr. President has appointed us, we have done well.
“You said there are no hospitals and there are no hospitals. You, as a legislator, what have you done? How many bills have you sponsored for us to improve our education and health sector?
“I challenge that legislator. If you are very popular, 2027 come and run under Abuja, we will fail you. Do you think that what happened last time will happen again? It will not happen again. Luckily for me, I am the FCT Minister now. So that is my territory and I’m not afraid.
“So, people should be able to come out and be able to accept the truth. We are not begging for anybody to become our friend, we have so many friends that we cannot even carry along. So how can we go and be begging people to become our friends. We are not interested in that.
“If you are angry that people are praising us, by next year your BP level will go very high because the praises you would see would be too much”.
The Minister also warned contractors against taking money from the administration and not doing the jobs.
“Another thing I found out is that when you give our contractors job, the first thing they do is to look at the profit instead of doing the job first.
“As a former Governor and former Minister, these are things that I have found out. But the unfortunate thing is that nobody takes our money and go free. If you take our money you must do the job. So contractors must thank Mr. President for bringing back the hope of having confidence in our local contractors,” he said.
According to him, it is regrettable that a city like Abuja does not have Bus and Taxi terminals.
“You will see taxis all over the place and that, of course, is part of our insecurity problems. So many people talk about one-chance , why won’t there be one-chance when you don’t even know the man whose bus or taxi you are entering?
“So, under the Renewed Hope Agenda and in order to reduce the level of insecurity, we made a proposal and we said part of the problems we are having is because we don’t know who are these people who are plying these buses and taxis, and where they load from.
“We said what gives comfort to our people? And so we decided we must start with three bus terminals. One each in the Central Business district, Mabushi, and Kugbo.”
Also speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas said the minister has justified his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, dismissing insinuations that Wike is elitist.
Speaker Abbas who officially flagged off the construction of the bus terminal commended “the exemplary leadership and vision of the Minister of the FCT in a remarkably short period.”
He said Wike has spearheaded the transformation of Abuja, completing numerous strategic road and infrastructure projects with remarkable speed and efficiency.
“His dedication and commitment have made Abuja a more modern and dynamic city, often leaving even long-term residents pleasantly surprised by the rapid developments.”
“I am particularly impressed by the Minister’s holistic approach to development, which extends beyond the nucleus of the city to encompass the Area Councils. This inclusive strategy promotes balanced growth and development and ensures that the infrastructure and economic advancements reach all communities, thereby enhancing the quality of life for all residents. The approach also underscores the importance of equitable development in building a truly modern and thriving capital.
“Overall, the successes recorded by the Minister justify the wise decision of the President, His Excellency Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, to entrust Wike with this vital portfolio. The Minister’s achievements have set a new standard for urban development in Nigeria, and his efforts deserve our highest praise.
Honourable Minister, as we continue preparing Abuja to compete with the world’s leading cities, I wish to offer some recommendations for sustaining this momentum. The first relates to integrating advanced technology in urban planning and management is crucial. Smart city initiatives can enhance the efficiency of services and improve the quality of life for residents. Furthermore, expanding public-private partnerships would attract investment and expertise, driving further infrastructure development.
“The National Assembly, as the legislature of the FCT, stands ready to support the Minister by enacting favourable legislations, ensuring adequate funding, and providing oversight to ensure that projects are completed on time and to the highest standards,” he said.