NASS REPUBLIC: On Kingibe’s allegations against Wike. One other story, and a quote to remember

The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Senator Ireti Kingibe, last week, alleged that all efforts to reach Nyesom Wike over heightened insecurity in the capital city had proved abortive.

One other story was tracked from the National Assembly (NASS), within the week under review.

1. Kingibe’s allegations against Wike

On January 21, Senator Kingibe asserted that there was a disconnect between Wike, and elected officials in the FCT, noting that he (Wike) had ignored the letters she sent him, and that other efforts meant to reach him had been in vain concerning the rising insecurity.

The Senator made the claim when he spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
“There is a big disconnect between the Minister of the FCT and the elected officials. I have WhatsApp messages, I have written him one or two letters and I don’t get any response.
“I am the person that people come to with their complaints. Everybody has been at me for not doing anything about the insecurity. The Minister (Wike) as far as he is concerned there are no elected members in the FCT.”

Kingibe’s revelation may have exposed how some public officials allow political sentiments, and personal interests or biases to get in the way of fighting national challenges.

Her statement, if proven to be true, lends credence to Wike’s alleged high-handedness, and little regards for team work.

It, therefore, serves as an eye-opener that lack of administrative co-operation, and coordination may be one of the causes of the festering insecurity in FCT.

However, it rests on Wike to persuade Nigerians that the Senator may have lied against him.

NASS MEMORY LANE

Who said;

“The mood of the current Senate is that non-compliance with our enactments and legally made decisions will not be tolerated because to tolerate that is a way of allowing for threat to the foundation of our democracy. We call on MDAs to at all times, fully abide by legally made decisions of the Senate and also the enactments made by the National Assembly.”

Answer: See end of post

READ ALSO:NASS REPUBLIC: As Kingibe decries rising insecurity. One other story, and a quote to remember

One other story

2. Ndume decries poor salary of recruits in security agencies

The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, on January 23, cried over the poor salary of recruits in the nation’s security agencies.
Ndume, who noted that most of the recruits are paid less than N50,000 in most cases, bared his mind when he featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“The recruits are paid less than N50,000 in some cases. How can you pay somebody money that cannot buy him a bag of rice and you expect him to go and sacrifice and put in his best?”
“How can you pay a Nigerian Army, for example, an allowance of N1,200 as his daily money and pay him N2000 only as Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and put him in the theatre?

Ndume’s disclosure goes a long way in pointing out why the Nigerian military – amid being overstretched, and seemingly lacking the necessary material support – is still struggling in contending with national security challenges.

It portrays the Federal Government as undervaluing the sacrifices of the security personnel who stake their lives on a daily basis to fulfil the constitutional duty of protecting lives, and property.

Only time can tell, if Ndume’s disclosure would inspire the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to review the salary, and allowances of the security personnel.

Answer: Senator Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio made the statement on November 7, 2023, while declaring open a two-day national workshop by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance in Abuja. He is a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now