Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Senate, says she remains confident of victory if she chooses to contest for re-election in the 2027 general elections, despite opposition from FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
Speaking during an interview on Political Paradigm, a programme aired on Channels Television on Tuesday, Kingibe said the people of Abuja would return her to office based on her performance and their trust in her leadership.
“I know that I will win in a landslide victory, bigger than the last one. The last one, bear in mind, that I went to the Senate with one of the highest, if not the highest votes of any legislator,” she said.
“And it was not just about (Peter) Obi. Yes, he brought some votes, but I also brought some votes to him that would not normally go to him.”
Kingibe, a senator under the Labour Party and chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, made the comments in direct response to Wike’s statement in July 2024, where he claimed she would not return to the red chamber in the next election cycle.
In her remarks, Kingibe accused Wike, who was appointed FCT Minister in August 2023 by President Bola Tinubu, of showing disdain and contempt toward residents of the Federal Capital Territory.
She said there is growing dissatisfaction among Abuja voters regarding Wike’s style of leadership, adding that this disconnect would only strengthen her chances at the polls if she decides to run again.
Kingibe also suggested that her 2023 election victory was not solely driven by the popularity of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, but by her own deep-rooted support across the FCT.
