•Ireti Kingibe and Nyesom Wike
The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has accused Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT, of obtaining loans for the nation’s capital without the approval of the National Assembly.
The Senator made the allegation on Channels Television, with claims that she had already raised the issue with the leadership of the Senate.
According to Kingibe, the standard practice is for FCT budgets to be presented to the Senate through the relevant committee, which considers them before they are passed by the upper legislative chamber. She said this process has, however, not been followed with respect to the loans Wike has obtained on behalf of the FCT.
“I have never seen Wike come to the National Assembly and before the Senate to ask for approval of anything,” she said.
The Senator said her claims were not speculative, noting that she arrived at her position after going through records from the Debt Management Office (DMO) covering the period from August 2023 to March 2026.
She said the records did not show any evidence that the FCT Minister had sought or obtained legislative approval before taking the loans.
“I am definitely saying he has been taking loans without the approval of the National Assembly. I don’t know about the House, but certainly not the Senate,” she said.
Kingibe went further to throw a challenge to anyone who might dispute her position, asking that such persons produce official parliamentary records to back up any claim that Wike had appeared before the National Assembly to seek approval for the loans.
“If anybody contradicts me, they should bring the Votes and Proceedings of the day that Wike came to the National Assembly to ask for approval for anything,” she said.
The senator also drew a comparison between Wike’s conduct and that of President Bola Tinubu, from whom the FCT minister derives his powers.
She noted that Tinubu, as president, routinely submits requests for loans and appointments to the National Assembly for consideration, and argued that the minister’s powers could not be superior to those of the president who appointed him.
Kingibe’s comments add to ongoing scrutiny of the FCT administration’s handling of funds and its dealings with the legislature, as she maintained that no evidence exists to show that the required legislative process was observed before the loans in question were obtained.
