We are not age mates, Senator Kingibe demands apology from Wike

Senator Ireti Kingibe has demanded an apology from FCT Minister Nyesom Wike following his comments threatening to unseat her in the 2027 elections.

Wike’s remarks, made during the flag-off ceremony for the Mabushi Bus Terminal construction in Abuja on July 1, included criticism of Kingibe’s performance and achievements for her constituents.

This has heightened the ongoing contentious relationship between the two officials.

Kingibe has responded, saying Wike’s remarks were disrespectful and that he should issue an apology.

“He doesn’t obviously understand the concept of the FCT. If he did, it is nothing personal. He says ‘I don’t want to be her friend.’ How does governance translate into friendship?” Kingibe said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm.

The senator expressed frustration over Wike’s derogatory comments, including a specific remark asking her to go hug a transformer.

Kingibe demanded that Wike apologize before they could work together.

“Once he does that, it is all over. We can start afresh but until then, everybody stays in your lane. With all due respect, I am so much older than him. Even courtesy demands he should speak to me like that,” Kingibe stated.

Kingibe, a member of the Labour Party, defeated Philip Aduda, a Wike ally, in the 2023 election to represent the FCT. Since then, the relationship between the senator and the minister has deteriorated, with Kingibe accusing Wike of neglecting her calls and not prioritizing the needs of FCT residents.

Wike, on the other hand, said Kingibe was frustrated because she was not appointed as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on the FCT.