The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has dismissed allegations that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, obtained loans for Abuja without the approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese, a Labour Party lawmaker from Benue State, said on Thursday that there was no evidence that the FCT Minister had violated any constitutional or statutory provision in financing projects and programmes in the capital.
He was reacting to claims by Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory in the National Assembly, that the FCT Administration had incurred borrowings without obtaining the necessary legislative approval.
Kingibe had said she raised the issue with the Senate leadership after examining information obtained from the Debt Management Office covering the period between August 2023 and March 2026.
Speaking on Channels Television, the senator said she was yet to see 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 explained that FCT budgets were presented to the Senate through the appropriate committee before being considered and approved, adding that her concern about the territory’s debt profile was based on information contained in DMO documents.
However, Agbese, while speaking with journalists in Abuja, described as misleading the suggestion that Wike had circumvented the National Assembly in securing funds for projects in the FCT.
He said public borrowing was subject to constitutional, statutory and administrative procedures involving relevant government institutions, stressing that the FCT Minister could not on his own create a sovereign borrowing obligation.
“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,” Agbese said.
The lawmaker said Wike had continued to subject the administration of the FCT to legislative scrutiny, particularly through budget presentation and appearances before relevant committees of the National Assembly.
Agbese also argued that a rise in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of illegal borrowing, especially given the scale of infrastructure projects being undertaken across Abuja.
He listed major road construction and rehabilitation, transportation infrastructure and other capital projects among the interventions carried out under Wike.
“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he said.
According to him, the central issue should be whether the required approvals and procedures were obtained for specific transactions rather than whether the FCT’s debt profile had increased.
He further rejected the claim that the FCT Administration had operated without legislative oversight, describing Wike as one of the public officials who had consistently engaged with the National Assembly.
“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,” Agbese said.
The lawmaker urged lawmakers and other stakeholders raising concerns about public borrowing to identify specific transactions and rely on official documents rather than political allegations.
He said Kingibe or any other interested party with concerns over particular borrowing arrangements should identify the transactions and request relevant authorities to produce the documents and approvals supporting them.
Agbese also cautioned against conflating the responsibilities of the FCT Minister with those of the Federal Government and other institutions involved in public finance, borrowing and debt management.
He maintained that Wike’s performance in Abuja should be assessed not only through the territory’s debt profile but also through the projects executed, the processes followed and their impact on residents.
The disagreement has further widened the public dispute between Kingibe and the FCT Administration over the management, financing and implementation of development projects in the capital.
While Kingibe has continued to raise concerns about transparency, budget implementation and the FCT’s financial commitments, the administration has maintained that its activities are being carried out in accordance with existing laws and government procedures.
