Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has faulted a claim by Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the FCT, that he obtains loans without the approval of the national assembly.
In August, Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the FCT, said Wike was borrowing without obtaining the parliament’s approval.
The senator said she had raised concerns with the senate leadership over the FCT minister’s borrowings.
“I have never seen Wike come to the national assembly and before the senate to ask for approval of anything,” she said.
But speaking on Tuesday while inspecting road projects in the nation’s capital, Wike said Kingibe’s remark demonstrated a lack of understanding of how government loans are secured.
Wike said the senator won’t return to the red chamber in 2027, adding that she has “nothing to offer to the people of the FCT”.
“There is no way you can go and take a loan without the approval of the national assembly. If you want to take a loan, you will include it in the budget and state that, in this aspect of the budget, the government will take out a loan,” he said.
“I don’t want to comment about her. She is already packing her things out. The people of the FCT have made their choice. They are going to support president Tinubu and Philip Aduda for senate.”
The FCT minister also alleged that Kingibe had “failed in all ramifications” as a senator and had not delivered meaningful development to residents of the nation’s capital.
He added that Kingibe’s concern should have been whether the loans were being properly applied to infrastructure projects and whether they were serving residents’ interests.
Early this month, Philip Agbese, deputy spokesperson of the house of representatives, said Wike followed due process in borrowing for the nation’s capital.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency in Benue, said the minister committed no infraction in borrowing to finance projects and programmes in the nation’s capital.
Wike and Kingibe have been at loggerheads over the governance of the FCT, trading barbs publicly.