Tinubu’s Greatest Mistake Was Making Wike Minister – Ireti Kingibe

Senator Ireti Kingibe has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Nyesom Wike as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, calling it the president’s “greatest mistake.” Speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Monday, Kingibe described Wike’s leadership as autocratic and accused him of consistently disregarding the rule of law.

According to the senator representing the FCT, Wike governs without legal backing and often acts unilaterally. “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,” she said. Kingibe further alleged that Wike has reinstated scrapped agencies without seeking approval from the National Assembly. “If he wants these things, he should ask the National Assembly to create the enabling laws. But he doesn’t, because he feels, ‘I can do anything.’”

Kingibe also accused the minister of violating the Land Use Act by revoking 7,000 out of the 11,000 hectares of land allocated to the University of Abuja, reducing the institution’s holdings to just 4,000 hectares. “It is definitely against the Land Use Act for you to take land from institutions to give them to individuals,” she said.

She raised concerns over job losses in the capital, blaming Wike for firing thousands of indigent women previously employed as street sweepers without providing replacements. “This is a source of livelihood for our indigent women, widows and other underprivileged women. He comes, he’s fired them all… Abuja is looking dirty,” Kingibe stated.

The senator also highlighted the plight of small indigenous contractors in the FCT, saying Wike has refused to pay over 400 of them for completed projects, claiming he did not award the contracts. “Two years on, they haven’t been paid,” she said.

Responding to polls showing public approval of Wike’s performance, Kingibe questioned their credibility and suggested that the minister’s popularity would be tested in the upcoming local government elections. “Can he tell the people, go and do this and they do it? If he can’t, then all that any minister has been doing is blustering and just making noise.”

Kingibe claimed Wike’s actions have undermined President Tinubu’s credibility. “If I were making a list of all the things that President Tinubu has done wrong, the greatest wrong he’s done to himself… has been on Minister Wike,” she said.

Among other allegations, Kingibe accused Wike of revoking land allocated for a general hospital in Bwari and replacing it with commercial development. She also claimed the minister has been “harassing” embassies and institutions over ground rent issues. “Minister Wike has been harassing all of FCT over ground rent… including embassies,” she added.

The senator said she plans to present documentation to appropriate oversight bodies to challenge Wike’s actions. “The president from whom Wike derives his powers goes back to the National Assembly for approval for everything. Wike, who is deriving powers from him, does not go to the National Assembly for anything except budget.”

She concluded by saying that her attempts to collaborate with Wike for the benefit of the FCT have been ignored.