A motion seeking a Senate investigation into alleged land grabbing, demolitions, salary issues, sewage disposal and other administrative concerns in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under minister Nyesom Wike suffered a setback after it was ruled procedurally defective.
The motion, sponsored by Senator Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT), was presented as a matter of urgent national importance under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules.
In the motion, Kingibe raised concerns over alleged illegal land revocations, forced evictions and reallocations in Abuja, particularly the conversion of designated green areas under the Abuja Master Plan into residential and commercial developments. She noted that these green zones were originally reserved as service corridors for sewage, water and electricity infrastructure, as well as environmental buffers.
The senator recalled that the Senate had intervened less than a year ago on similar issues, summoning the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over alleged unlawful land administration, disregard for due process and encroachment on vested land rights. She expressed concern that despite the earlier legislative intervention, the alleged practices had continued.
However, the Senate declined to debate the motion, ruling that it failed to meet the requirements for urgency as stipulated by the Standing Rules.
During deliberations, Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, described the motion as “dead on arrival,” while commending the FCT Minister for what he described as his transformative impact on Abuja.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the motion lacked focus and could not be classified as urgent. He argued that the issues raised were too broad and unrelated to qualify as a matter of urgent national importance.
“When a senator raises a matter of urgent national importance, it must be specific and focused. If it is about waste management, then it should be on waste management alone, not linking salaries, demolition and land administration,” Akpabio said. “This cannot be described as a matter of urgent national importance.”
The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, also emphasized that matters of urgent national importance must involve issues that cannot wait until another legislative day. He advised Senator Kingibe to withdraw the motion and re-present it as a substantive motion for proper consideration.
