Senior Lawyer, Ndarani Urges Wike And Kingibe To Cooperate For Development Of FCT
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mohammed Ndarani has called on all stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), both elected and appointed, to cooperate for the territory’s development. Ndarani made this appeal on Sunday in Abuja during an interview, addressing the ongoing rift between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe.
Since assuming office, Wike and Kingibe have had a strained working relationship, with Kingibe accusing Wike of sidelining her despite her role as the FCT’s senator.
Ndarani emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two leaders for the benefit of Nigeria. “It is imperative for all stakeholders, both elected and appointed, to work together and abide by the guiding rules of their offices to strengthen one another as one big family,” he said. He stressed that Nigeria could not achieve significant success without mutual support among its leaders and urged all parties to let peace reign.
“They should sheath their swords, put their differences aside, and work for the common good of the people of the FCT. Wike was appointed to serve the people of the FCT, and Kingibe was elected to serve the people of the FCT. So, they should work together and think about the greater good of the people. The people of FCT look up to them to bring succour to the challenges they are facing, but when two elephants fight, the grass suffers,” Ndarani said.
He noted that although Wike and Kingibe are from different political parties, past FCT leaders from different parties have successfully collaborated. He highlighted their distinct roles but underscored that both aim to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“Section 302 of the 1999 Constitution states that the President may appoint a Minister for the FCT who shall exercise powers and perform functions as delegated by the President. Meanwhile, Section 48 of the 1999 Constitution allows the senator to make laws for the peace and good governance of Nigeria, including the FCT. The functions and duties of the two offices are distinct, but they must work together for the common good of the people of Nigeria and the FCT,” Ndarani explained.
He added, “Wike is not answerable to the senator, just as the senator is not answerable to the minister. They are both answerable to the president and the citizens of Nigeria. To me, Wike’s developmental strides in the FCT are very commendable, and he ought to be encouraged to do more with the cooperation and support of the distinguished senator. The ultimate goal here is the people. Past FCT ministers and senators did not come from the same party, but they worked in synergy. Media war will not bring development to the people; cooperation is the key.”
Ndarani urged Wike and Kingibe to set aside their differences and focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people. He also addressed the recent conflict, where Wike challenged Kingibe to test her popularity again in the 2027 election, vowing to ensure she did not return to the upper chamber of the legislature.
