Ireti Kingibe Will Lose 2027 Senate Seat Over Poor Performance—Wike

Ireti Kingibe Will Lose 2027 Senate Seat Over Poor Performance—Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed that Senator Ireti Kingibe is unlikely to return to the Senate in 2027, citing her lack of tangible projects for constituents.

Kingibe, elected in 2023 on the Labour Party (LP) platform, represents the FCT in the upper legislative chamber. The senator has previously criticized Wike for failing to respond to her letters and messages regarding rising insecurity and other challenges in Abuja, including water scarcity.

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike insisted that Kingibe’s performance has been unsatisfactory. “I had said it more than one year ago, Senator Ireti, you won’t come back as a senator. That’s why you people don’t like people who tell you the truth. It’s bitter. Let her show one project,” he said.

The minister also alleged that Kingibe has neglected satellite communities, where voters are most active. “She has no presence in the communities where people actually go out to vote,” Wike added.

This is not the first time the two politicians have clashed. In 2024, Kingibe described Wike’s appointment as FCT Minister by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “critical political error,” accusing him of fostering a culture of disregard for institutional rules. She had said, “The primary thing is that the minister doesn’t obey the rule of law. He is autocratic. He doesn’t follow any rules or any laws.”

Despite Kingibe’s criticisms, Wike has consistently maintained that her failure to deliver visible projects will prevent her re-election in 2027.