The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has alleged that repeated concerns she raised over flooding and blocked drainage channels in Abuja were ignored by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

Kingibe spoke on Monday on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, two days after heavy rainfall caused flooding in several parts of Abuja. She said she had raised concerns about the risk of flooding as far back as December and had also complained about the issue about a year earlier.

“From the beginning, I’ve always said there has been no reason for there to be political conflict on my part. I’m used to an Abuja where senators and ministers don’t necessarily come from the same party but have worked together in the interest of the people,” she said.

Kingibe said she contacted the head of development control after assuming office to raise concerns about the situation, recalling severe flooding in Lugbe where she said she found houses built inside flood channels.

“As an engineer, I could see the potential. When I first became a senator, Lugbe flooded very badly. I went and looked at the flood channels and some of them even had houses inside them. That’s scary. So, somebody must have given approval,” she said.

The senator said her criticism was not personal but was based on her responsibility to protect her constituents.

“It’s not personal to the minister. It’s just that everything that impacts negatively on my constituents, I need to take it up with somebody, and he’s the person who is giving the direct approval for some of these things,” she said.

Kingibe said she reduced her public criticism of Wike in an attempt to encourage cooperation, but claimed the approach failed.

“As I have said in some of my videos, I even tried to be less publicly critical of him to see if that would make him work with me in a manner that’s in the best interest of the constituents. Nothing works,” she said.

She said she later wrote to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), asking it to identify the problems contributing to flooding and explain the immediate measures it planned to take. She said her letter did not initially prescribe measures such as an audit of drainage infrastructure or demolition of structures.

“But it’s not about shutting me up. It’s not about any of those things. It’s about the people’s welfare. They voted for me and the house of representatives members,” she said.

Kingibe said she expected the FCDA to respond to her letter, unlike Wike, whom she accused of failing to respond to her correspondence. She also said the Senate Committee on the FCT had a responsibility to exercise oversight over agencies responsible for Abuja’s administration and development.

“That’s why I don’t bother to write to him, because he never responds. But this agency, it’s directly. And when they don’t respond, then I can now take on the chairman of the FCT committee over all the things that are going on in the FCT,” she said.

The senator’s comments followed Saturday’s flooding in parts of Abuja, which disrupted movement and left residents stranded, renewing concerns over drainage infrastructure, blocked waterways and developments in flood-prone areas. (The Sun)