Senate In Closed-Door Meeting Over Wike, Senator Kingibe’s Clash

The Senate on Wednesday convened an executive session to deliberate on a brewing conflict between Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The session presided over by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, aimed to address a matter of privilege raised by Senator Kingibe.

The conflict between Kingibe and Minister Wike has escalated into a public row, marked by sharp exchanges and threats.

Recently, Minister Wike publicly threatened that as long as he remains the FCT Minister, Kingibe would lose her bid to return to the Senate in the 2027 elections.

In retaliation, Senator Kingibe has voiced concerns about being sidelined in the administration of the FCT’s affairs, particularly criticizing the process in which the 2024 FCT budget was passed without her input.

This issue was formally brought up by Kingibe as a matter of privilege before the Senate went on its end-of-session break.

Responding to the ongoing dispute, Senate President Akpabio called for an executive session to thoroughly examine the concerns raised by Senator Kingibe.

The Senate aims to mediate in this high-stakes disagreement that not only affects the workings of the FCT administration but also raises significant questions about the cooperation between federal legislators and regional administrators.