…says FCT Minister most legislative compliant public servant under NASS searchlight
The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, has dismissed allegations that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, secured borrowings for the nation’s capital without the approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese (LP-Benue), while reacting on Thursday to the allegation by Senator Ireti Kingibe, said Wike had not committed any infraction in financing projects and programmes of the FCT.
He described the minister as one of the most legislatively compliant public servants under the oversight of the National Assembly.
Agbese said it was misleading to claim that Wike had circumvented the National Assembly or acted outside the law in securing funds for projects in the territory.
According to him, public borrowing processes involve the appropriate constitutional and administrative authorities, adding that the FCT minister could not unilaterally create a sovereign borrowing obligation outside established procedures.
He said Wike had consistently subjected the FCT Administration to legislative scrutiny through the presentation and consideration of the territory’s budgets and appearances before relevant committees of the National Assembly.
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The Benue lawmaker said the minister’s engagement with the legislature contradicted claims that he had deliberately operated outside legislative oversight.
“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Hon. Agbese said.
He said the increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not, on its own, be interpreted as evidence of a violation of borrowing laws, noting the expansion of infrastructure development in the territory under Wike.
Agbese said the debt profile should be considered alongside the volume of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including road construction, rehabilitation, transportation infrastructure and other development projects.
He argued that financing infrastructure through lawful borrowing was not an offence in itself, stressing that the key issue was whether the required approvals and procedures had been followed.
The Deputy House spokesperson also criticised what he described as an attempt to portray the FCT minister as operating without legislative oversight.
He said the National Assembly had maintained oversight of the FCT Administration and that Wike had appeared before relevant legislative committees whenever required.
“Under our searchlight, the FCT Minister is one of the most legislatively compliant public servants. He has consistently engaged the National Assembly and subjected the activities of the FCT Administration to legislative scrutiny,” he said.
Agbese said the legislature’s oversight role should be based on facts, documents and established procedures rather than political accusations.
He maintained that if Senator Kingibe believed specific borrowing transactions were unlawful, the appropriate step would be to identify the transactions and invite relevant authorities to provide the documents governing them.
He also cautioned against conflating the minister’s responsibility for administering the FCT with the constitutional responsibilities of the Federal Government and other institutions involved in public finance and debt management.
The lawmaker said Wike’s performance in Abuja should be assessed based on the projects executed, processes followed and measurable impact of the administration’s interventions, rather than unsubstantiated allegations.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm, Senator Kingibe said she had raised concerns with the Senate leadership over the borrowings, insisting that she had never seen Wike appear before the Senate to seek approval for any loan.
“I have never seen Wike come to the National Assembly and before the Senate to ask for approval of anything,” Kingibe said.
She said FCT budgets were usually presented to the Senate through the relevant committee before consideration and approval by the chamber.
The senator further claimed that she discovered the alleged borrowings while reviewing information from the Debt Management Office covering the period between August 2023 and March 2026.