A former Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council and Publicity Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Chief Peter Ameh, has condemned recent comments made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, regarding the 2027 elections.
Ameh’s criticism comes in response to Wike’s public statements about the future of Senator Ireti Kingibe.
During the flag-off ceremony for a new car park project in Mabushi, Abuja, Wike declared that Senator Ireti Kingibe would not be re-elected to the National Assembly in 2027. This comment was part of a broader address where Wike made several controversial statements about political figures and governance.
Ameh took issue with Wike’s remarks and the manner in which he conducted himself during the event.
“I watched an episode where they were commissioning a car park in Mabushi. I saw Wike flagging off a car park. In which world do people flag off car parks?” Ameh remarked in a video.
He criticized Wike for using the occasion to disparage a sitting senator, describing the act as a display of poor governance.
“It seems like a very elementary level of governance. In that same location, he was using the opportunity to bash a sitting senator of the Federal Republic, and people were applauding him. He made statements that diminished the senator’s personality,” Ameh said.
Ameh also took Wike to task for what he sees as a failure to address critical infrastructure issues despite substantial federal funding.
“Government is not about self-promotion. Wike boasts about doing roadworks, but many of these roads are already in poor condition. Some roads in areas like Nyanya, Karu, Karishi, Kubwa, and Gwagwalada are still not done. Even the ones he completed have issues,” he pointed out.
Ameh further criticized Wike for the perceived lack of accountability in the management of federal resources.
“He collected about 1.2 trillion naira, but there’s no accountability in Nigeria, which is why people don’t know what’s going on. He also collected another 98 billion naira for ongoing projects. The Apo-Karshi Road has been incomplete since before his time. There’s no construction happening there now. Yet, he’s criticizing a senator elected by the people, boasting about how by 2027, the senator won’t return,” Ameh stated.
He reminded Wike that effective governance requires more than just high-profile announcements and criticized the minister for failing to appreciate the diverse and sophisticated electorate of Abuja.
“Wike forgets that others came before him and performed excellently without using derogatory language against elected representatives. FCT is a cosmopolitan and metropolitan center, and its people vote based on performance,” Ameh argued.
Ameh also expressed disappointment in opposition leaders for not uniting against Wike’s approach.
“I blame other senators and leaders from the Labour Party for not coming together and speaking in one voice against Wike. They need to hold a press conference and tell him that he cannot control the country and misuse public resources,” he urged.
He concluded by calling for a higher standard of conduct from public officials, contrasting Wike’s behavior with that of leaders in more advanced democracies.
“He cannot stand on a stage and insult the electorate with disrespectful language. This is not acceptable in a democracy. Those applauding him for flagging off a car park need to look at how governance works in places like South Africa or Egypt, where ministers don’t behave this way,” Ameh added.