Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday weighed in on the verbal altercation between Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and lone FCT Senator, Ireti Kingibe, urging the minister to pay no heed to detractors.
Akpabio gave the charge while flagging-off the construction of the Kugbo Bus Terminal in the Nyanya area of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
He said; “A lot of people will say things. I saw a legislator on television mentioning that she was not carried along. Well, she is a member of the Senate, and when a decision is taken, she is bound by that decision.
“Please, ignore every distraction and be rest assured that no matter what you do, not everyone will praise you. Others will still try to find faults.”
The Senate President praised Wike’s transformative efforts at upgrading transportation networks, constructing abandoned roads, and developing state-of-the-art facilities.
He said the Kugbo Bus Terminal is expected to facilitate efficient movement, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the overall quality of life for residents and visitors.
Earlier in his remarks, Wike thanked Akpabio for flagging off the project and acknowledged the support of the Senate and House Committees on FCT and Area Council in securing funding through the 2024 Appropriation Act.
“The administration of Mr President is not just for the elites or those who can afford it but for people who cannot afford it,” Wike emphasized. “Look at the kind of rainfall today, how many people will be on the road to wait for taxis or buses? They have to go back to their houses and probably not be able to go to work today for their daily activities. But when this bus terminal is completed, you have access to the place whether it’s raining or not. You can identify or know who is the person that is picking you and take you safely to wherever you are going. It will also reduce ‘one chance’ incidents, where you are on the road, you don’t know who has the car, and the person tells you, ‘Are you going to Nyanya?’ and you say yes, then the next story you hear is that the person has been kidnapped. With this, you don’t need to go and wait on the road; you just come to the bus terminal and board wherever you are going. This will reduce the level of insecurity.
“What makes our city a great city is when basic infrastructure is provided. A city like Abuja, until now, cannot have proper public transportation, and with what Mr. President has directed us to do, I believe in the next twelve, thirteen months, there will be a change in transportation in FCT”, said Wike.
He thanked the Senate President, the committee chairman on FCT, and Chairmen of Area Councils for their support.
Wike had on Monday tackled Kingibe who had consistently accused him of sidelining her.
The minister said Kingibe would lose the support of the people in the next election.
Wike’s comments were a reaction to to an earlier interview by the senator where she accused the minister of sidelining her and masses in the territory.
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