Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has rejected calls for a closer working relationship with Senator Ireti Kingibe over measures to tackle flooding and regulate development in Abuja, accusing the senator of failing to use her position in the National Assembly to address the challenges confronting residents of the capital.
Wike spoke on Tuesday, after inspecting flood-affected areas in Maitama, Abuja, where he also ordered the demolition of structures found to be obstructing designated water channels.
Responding to a question on Kingibe’s call for greater cooperation between her office and the FCT Administration, Wike said he was not appointed to work with one particular individual but with all stakeholders in the interest of the Federal Capital Territory.
“If she knows that there’s a problem, she’s the one who makes the law. National Assembly is our own House of Assembly. Why should she every time, ‘working with her, working with her, working with her’?” Wike asked.
“I was not appointed to work with only one particular person. I work with everybody.”
The minister accused the senator of resorting to media appearances rather than using her legislative position to push for solutions to problems affecting her constituents.
He challenged Kingibe to identify bills or legislative initiatives she had sponsored to address flooding and other challenges confronting residents of the FCT.
“Go and talk to the people! Tell them what you are doing in the National Assembly! Tell them the bill you have proposed for the benefit of the residents of Abuja,” Wike said.
He added that legislators should demonstrate their impact through debates, legislation and engagement with their constituents rather than relying on television appearances.
“As a legislator, for example, I represent the people. They must see you talk on the floor as per their own interest. They must see you propose a bill that will enable them to survive,” he said.
Wike further suggested that Kingibe’s criticism of the FCT Administration was linked to the approaching election, claiming that she had “almost lost” the contest and was seeking to regain public support.
“I don’t blame her now, because she has almost lost the election. All she’s doing next is to see whether she can get the people,” he said.
The minister maintained that criticism from political opponents would not change the administration’s approach to enforcing development regulations.
“You have done nothing, and the people know you have done nothing. Even if you like, criticise. As far as this flooding is concerned, the people have made up their mind that you failed,” he said.
Wike also categorically denied allegations that the FCT Administration had allocated designated waterways to politicians for the construction of estates.
He challenged anyone making such allegations to provide evidence of a specific water channel allegedly allocated to a named politician.
“I want to deny categorically that this administration allocates water channel way for people to go and develop,” he said.
According to Wike, individuals making such claims were not in a position to determine which locations constituted waterways under the Abuja Master Plan.
“You cannot determine which area is a water channel to FCT. You cannot determine for us! You don’t know the master plan more than us!” he said.
He described blanket claims that waterways had been allocated to politicians as incorrect and challenged critics to produce documentary evidence.
“If anybody has one, come out with it to prove to Nigerians, ‘This is a water channel way, and it has been allocated to Mr. Z, and approved for Mr. Z to build something,’” Wike said.
“Not just to go and make a blanket statement, ‘Anything now, allocated to politicians.’ Who are the politicians? Do they have no name?”