The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has again slammed FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe, saying she would not return to the National Assembly in the 2027 general elections.

Wike made the assertion on Tuesday while fielding questions from newsmen during an inspection of ongoing road projects in the FCT.

He described Kingibe as illiterate and insisted that all loans taken by the FCT Administration followed due process and received National Assembly approval.

His comments came after Senator Kingibe accused him of taking loans without approval.

“She is an illiterate, with all due respect, and that is why she is not going back to the Senate. She has nothing to offer to the people of the FCT. There is no way you can go and take a loan without the approval of the National Assembly.

“Anytime you take a loan, you will include it in the budget that this aspect of this budget, the government is going to collect loan,” the minister said.

According to the minister, he would rather not dignify the senator’s comments with further reaction, describing her as already on her way out of political relevance following what he said was the choice residents had made to back President Bola Tinubu and his preferred candidate for the FCT senatorial seat, Philip Aduda.

“I don’t want to comment about her. When the time is right, let her pack her bags out. The people have made their choice by agreeing to support President Tinubu, and then will support Philip Aduda for Senate. So, let us not waste our time reacting to inferiors who failed in all ramifications. I don’t want to react to it, I am above that,” he said.

Nigeria’s Green Hawks will turn their attention to Zambia on Tuesday as the country’s first-ever national netball team continues its historic campaign at the Africa Netball Cup and 2027 Netball World Cup African Qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya.

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The encounter presents Nigeria with another opportunity to measure its progress after a demanding welcome to international netball against three established African sides.

Nigeria began the competition with a 61–40 defeat to hosts Kenya before facing world number six Uganda, who recorded a 68–30 victory.

The Green Hawks then suffered an 82–22 loss to Malawi on Monday, leaving the Nigerian side still searching for its first victory of the tournament.

Against Malawi, Nigeria trailed 21–6 after the opening quarter before the gap widened to 40–11 at half-time.

Malawi eventually completed the contest with a 60-goal advantage and, in the process, strengthened their World Cup qualification campaign.

For Nigeria, however, the tournament represents more than immediate results.

The Green Hawks are competing internationally for the first time, with the Nairobi tournament providing the players with their first sustained exposure to some of Africa’s leading netball nations.

Nigeria’s next opponents, Zambia, therefore offer another test of how quickly the newly assembled side can adjust to competition at continental level.

With matches against Kenya, Uganda and Malawi now behind them, Tuesday’s encounter provides the Green Hawks with another opportunity to translate the experience gained from those difficult fixtures into an improved performance.

The Africa Netball Cup and World Cup African Qualifiers continue in Nairobi until September 26.