Abuja

Tinubu’s Biggest Mistake Is Making Wike Minister Says Ireti Kingibe

Published

8 months ago

July 15, 2025

admin

Tinubu’s Biggest Mistake Is Making Wike Minister Says Ireti Kingibe

Tinubu’s biggest mistake is making Wike minister says Ireti Kingibe. Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the federal capital territory (FCT), says President Bola Tinubu’s greatest political blunder was appointing Nyesom Wike as minister.

Speaking during an interview with Arise TV on Monday, Kingibe said Wike’s leadership style is autocratic and marked by “total disregard for the constitution”.

“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. And when you try to draw his attention that governance is based on laws, the rule of law, he doesn’t accept that,” Kingibe said.

The senator accused Wike of reinstating scrapped agencies without legal backing.

“Minister Nyesom Wike has brought back agencies without the enabling laws. If he wants these things, he should ask the national assembly to create the enabling laws.

But he doesn’t, because he’s just autocratic. He feels, ‘I can do anything’,” she said.
Kingibe also alleged that Wike revoked 7,000 out of 11,000 hectares of land allocated to the University of Abuja, in violation of the Land Use Act.

“Abuja University had approximately 11,000 hectares. Minister Wike has revoked 7,000 of it and left them with four. It is definitely against the Land Use Act for you to take land from institutions to give them to individuals,” she said.

Kingibe said Wike’s actions have led to job losses and growing discontent among FCT residents.

“Every minister has come and found the streets being cleaned by indigent women. Even when some ministers come and want to bring mechanical street sweepers, we say No. This is a source of livelihood for our indigent women, widows and other underprivileged women,” she said.
“He comes, he’s fired them all… Then he doesn’t replace them with mechanical street sweepers. So, Abuja is looking dirty.”

On the issue of “unpaid” local contractors, Kingibe said Wike refused to pay hundreds of small indigenous businesses.

“There are these people called Abuja Small Indigenous Contractors… maybe about four or five hundred of them that had not been paid,” the senator said.

“He says, no, he’s not paying them. He didn’t give them the job. And that’s that. He didn’t. Two years on, they haven’t been paid.”

Reacting to recent polls that rated Wike’s performance positively, she questioned their credibility.

“If truly, Minister Wike is as popular as… You’re talking about that poll, depending on who conducted the poll and how it was conducted,” she said.

“I’m not knocking it, but I am saying local government elections are coming in a few months.

“When we come to any kind of election, can he tell the people, go and do this and they do it? If he can’t, then it means that all that any minister has been doing is blustering and carrying on and just making noise.”

Kingibe said President Tinubu’s decision to empower Wike politically has hurt his administration.

“It’s my personal opinion that that is rather unfortunate, because if I were making a list of all the things that President Tinubu has done wrong, the greatest wrong he’s done to himself, the thing that has demarcated him the most has been on Minister Wike,” she said.

Kingibe accused Wike of revoking land meant for a general hospital in Bwari and replacing it with commercial development.

Wike and Tinubu

“In Bwari, there’s land allocated for a general hospital. Minister Wike revokes it and he’s having some sort of a market or mall or something put on it,” she said.

The senator said the minister has been harassing embassies and institutions over ground rent.
“Minister Wike has been harassing all of FCT over ground rent… including embassies,” she said.

She said she plans to submit documents to the appropriate oversight bodies to challenge Wike’s actions.

“I’m going to take those documents and go to the body, the equivalent of his state assembly, and insist that that assembly, the president from whom Wike derives his powers goes back to the National Assembly for approval for everything,” she added.

“Wike, who is deriving powers from him, does not go to the national assembly for anything except budget. TSA, all his IGR, what has he done with it? He’s never accounted for anything.”

On the possibility of collaboration for the benefit of the FCT, Kingibe said Wike has ignored her attempts to reach out.

Up Next

Naira Trades At N1,518/$, Hits 4-Month High At Official Market

Don't Miss

NPF Cracks Murd€r Case Of Chinese National In Ogun, Arrests 2 Suspects

Click to comment

Abuja

Wike Tells FCT Residents In Eid-el-Fitr Message, Says “Remain Peaceful Throughout The Year”

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

admin

Wike Tells FCT Residents In Eid-el-Fitr Message, Says “Remain Peaceful Throughout The Year”

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has urged residents of Abuja to sustain the values of compassion, forgiveness and unity imbibed during Ramadan as Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Fitr.

In his 2026 Eid message to residents, Wike described the fasting period as one marked by spiritual renewal and reflection, calling on residents not to abandon its lessons.

“As we celebrate Eid Fitr – the culmination of the Ramadan fast, I urge you all to carry forward the values of compassion, forgiveness, and unity that Ramadan embodies,” he said.

He congratulated Muslim faithful in the FCT on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast, noting that the period had fostered stronger bonds among residents.

The minister also commended the spirit of generosity and coexistence demonstrated across religious lines during the holy month.

“Within the FCT, it is reassuring to see Muslims sharing and caring for fellow Muslims and non-Muslims alike in the last 30 days,” he said.

“Individuals and corporate organisations have, by their conduct during this holy month, demonstrated their commitment and cooperation towards maintaining Abuja’s pride of place as the Centre of Unity, Peace and Harmony in Nigeria.”

Wike implored residents to pray for Nigeria’s leaders and the country’s continued peace and development.

“This occasion also offers us a unique opportunity to pray for our leaders, and indeed, our country Nigeria, that we may continue to enjoy peace and progress,” he said.

Looking ahead to political activities in the country, he urged residents to remain peaceful regardless of affiliations.

“I urge all residents regardless of political affiliation, gender or tribe to take a cue from the Muslim Ummah, and maintain peaceful conduct throughout the year while praying for the FCT, and the nation as a whole at this period,” he added.

Wike

“The security agencies are working round the clock to ensure that residents celebrate and enjoy the occasion in peace, tranquility and orderliness.”

Wike reaffirmed the FCT administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, while continuing efforts to develop Abuja into a world-class city.

Abuja

Adwa Victory At 130: Ethiopia Marks Historic Triumph And Women’s Day In Abuja

Published

2 weeks ago

March 9, 2026

admin

Adwa Victory At 130: Ethiopia Marks Historic Triumph And Women’s Day In Abuja

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Abuja hosted a colourful celebration on Saturday, March 7, 2026, to mark the 130th Anniversary of the Victory of Adwa alongside International Women’s Day.
The event, held under the themes “Adwa 130: From a Dark History to a Bright Horizon!” and “50 Years of Women’s Voice for Equality and Prosperity,” brought together Ethiopians living in Nigeria, people of Ethiopian origin, and Nigerian friends of Ethiopia.
Delivering the keynote address, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Nigeria, H.E. Legesse Geremew Haile, described the Victory of Adwa as a historic milestone achieved through the collective sacrifice, unity, and determination of the Ethiopian people.
He emphasized that women played a crucial role in securing the historic victory over Italian forces in 1896, noting that their contributions remain a strong symbol of courage and patriotism.
The Ambassador also highlighted Ethiopia’s progress in promoting gender equality, stating that women are increasingly occupying leadership positions in government, parliament, and the cabinet at both federal and regional levels.
Encouraging the younger generation to uphold the “Spirit of Adwa,” Ambassador Legesse urged Ethiopians at home and in the diaspora to contribute actively to the country’s ongoing development efforts.
He outlined several key national initiatives, including modernizing the agricultural sector, where Ethiopia has recently emerged as Africa’s largest wheat producer, expanding industrial capacity through the “Ethiopia Tamirt” (Produce in Ethiopia) initiative, promoting tourism through the Gebeta projects, and advancing digital transformation through artificial intelligence to improve service delivery.
The Ambassador also addressed Ethiopia’s strategic economic goals, calling for unified support for the country’s pursuit of peaceful access to the sea, describing it as a vital national interest for a nation of over 130 million people with a rapidly growing economy.
According to him, Ethiopia remains committed to achieving this objective through peaceful and mutually beneficial diplomatic engagement.
Reaffirming the country’s long-term development vision, Ambassador Legesse said Ethiopia aims to become one of Africa’s five largest economies by 2035 and among the world’s top 20 economies by 2050. He therefore called on the Ethiopian diaspora to actively participate in the nation’s development initiatives and major projects.
The celebration also featured a presentation titled “The Trust of Adwa: Unity, Sovereignty, and Reconstruction,” which highlighted the historic significance of the Battle of Adwa fought on March 1, 1896. The presentation underscored how Ethiopia’s victory over the Italian army became a powerful symbol of African resistance, inspiring Pan-Africanism and anti-colonial movements across the continent and the diaspora.
Participants at the event described Adwa as a shared African victory, stressing that its legacy should continue to inspire present and future generations to work towards rebuilding their nations and strengthening the continent.
The programme was further enriched with patriotic poetry and educational video presentations performed by young children.
The ceremony began with the Ethiopian National Anthem and concluded with a ceremonial cake-cutting and reception attended by guests and members of the Ethiopian community in Nigeria.

Abuja

Abuja: Fire Guts Section Of Federal Secretariat

Published

2 weeks ago

March 9, 2026

admin

Abuja: Fire Guts Section Of Federal Secretariat

Abuja: Fire guts section of federal secretariat. There was panic at the federal secretariat in Abuja on Monday morning after a section of the office of the head of service of the federation caught fire.

Eyewitnesses said the fire was first noticed at about 8:20am. Social media footage showed plumes of black smoke billowing from the affected section of the building.

The incident occurred at Section C of the building within the federal secretariat complex.

Staff members were seen evacuating the area after emergency responders had been alerted.

The media department of the office of the head of service confirmed the incident.

The office said the outbreak was limited to Section C of the building.