Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory, has vehemently denounced allegations made by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike that she provided food to hunger protesters in Abuja on Thursday.
Wike had claimed to have witnessed a senator distributing food to protesters, calling it “sponsorship” and threatening to investigate the alleged involvement. Though he did not name names, a video shared online linked former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to the incident.
However, the video in question has been discredited. THE WHISTLER’s analysis revealed no evidence of food distribution, and both Obi and Kingibe have confirmed that the footage is from a previous gathering where they addressed Labor Party protesters over internal party matters.
Kingibe expressed shock and outrage at the “blatant lies and misinformation” being circulated. She clarified that the video is from a meeting six weeks ago, when the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was protesting outside the Labour Party office. As stakeholders, she and other party members, including Obi, engaged with the protesters.
“Now, these deceitful individuals are trying to pass off this old footage as current, claiming that Mr. Peter Obi and I were leading protests in Abuja yesterday,” Kingibe said. She described it as a “malicious and desperate attempt to discredit us.”
Kingibe emphasized that Obi is not in Abuja and that she has been home with an illness since Wednesday, making it impossible for her to participate in any protests or distribute food.
She condemned the “orchestrated attempt to spread falsehoods and cause confusion,” using it as a pretext to accuse her of sponsoring the protests.
Kingibe and Wike have had ongoing disputes over control of the FCT. Kingibe has accused Wike of dominance and neglecting her in FCT affairs, while Wike has vowed to defeat her in the upcoming senatorial election.
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