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Summary
Senator Ireti Kingibe has criticised FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for prioritising road construction, which she states favours the elites over the needs of the average Abuja resident. She highlighted that Abuja lacks a public transportation system, faces growing insecurity, and FCTA staff are owed salaries.
Senator Ireti Kingibe, the representative of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Nigerian Senate, has criticised FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for the constant road projects. Wike recently allocated part of the N1.78 trillion 2025 statutory budget to complete 14 ongoing road projects across Abuja’s central districts and satellite towns.
These include the B6 and B12 roads, Arterial Roads N1 and N20, Inner Southern Expressway, and the dualisation of Kuje–Gwagwalada and Ushafa–War College roads, alongside infrastructure in satellite towns like Kwali and Kyami.
During an interview on Channels Television on July 8 2025, Senator Ireti said Wike’s development priorities do not reflect the realities of most FCT residents living outside the affluent central districts of Abuja.
“Wike is entrusted to bring development because he represents the president, the de facto governor of the FCT. He is building roads, but we don’t have public transport, so most Abuja residents don’t benefit from the roads,” she said.
The senator questioned the usefulness of projects like renovating the International Conference Centre (ICC) when many residents face insecurity and worsening living conditions.
“He is building things like the ICC. How does that concern the bulk of Abuja residents when there is so much insecurity?” she asked.
Senator Ireti said that Wike is worsening the situation for vulnerable groups in the city. She cited the mass sacking of street sweepers, mostly indigent women and widows who previous ministers had traditionally supported.
“The women who were sweeping the streets have done so through several ministers. Their situation was always protected, the current minister came, and despite imploring him, he fired them all and has not replaced them with anything.”
She also said that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) staff are now owed salaries despite Wike paying them during his first year in office.
“So we FCT has had a minister who most FCT residents will say, came to what made life as difficult as possible,” Senator Ireti Kingibe said.
