Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has challenged FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to produce the Senate’s official record showing that lawmakers approved loans obtained by the FCT Administration.
Kingibe made the challenge on Thursday, September 24, 2026, while responding to Wike’s recent dismissal of her allegations that the FCT Administration had obtained loans without the required approval of the National Assembly.
The dispute has intensified a political and legislative disagreement between the senator and the minister over FCT borrowing, infrastructure spending and oversight of the administration of Nigeria’s capital.
Kingibe said her responsibility as a senator includes questioning government borrowing, demanding accountability over public funds and scrutinising the activities of public officials.
She maintained that raising questions about government finances should not be interpreted as disrespect towards the FCT Administration.
Kingibe Demands Senate Evidence
In her response, Kingibe challenged Wike to make public the Senate’s Votes and Proceedings for the day she said approval was allegedly granted for the FCT borrowings.
She said she could not speak for the House of Representatives but maintained that the loans in question had not been presented before the Senate for approval.
Kingibe also rejected any suggestion that her criticism of the FCT Administration amounted to an attempt to obstruct development in Abuja.
She said legislative oversight requires lawmakers to ask questions about public spending and government decisions, particularly where borrowing and public resources are involved.
Her latest comments followed Wike’s response on Tuesday, September 22, when the minister rejected her allegations and argued that government borrowing for capital projects is incorporated into the budget and subjected to the necessary approval process.
Wike Rejects Kingibe’s Borrowing Claims
Wike has maintained that the FCT Administration could not legally obtain loans without following the relevant government approval process.
Speaking to journalists during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Abuja on September 22, the minister said borrowing for FCT infrastructure was included in the budget and therefore subjected to legislative consideration.
Wike also questioned Kingibe’s understanding of the process for securing government loans.
The minister’s comments came after Kingibe had accused the FCT Administration of borrowing without National Assembly approval during an earlier appearance on Channels Television.
The disagreement has therefore centred not simply on whether the FCT has accumulated debt, but on the specific process through which the borrowing was authorised.
Wike has said the more important question is whether borrowed funds are being used for projects that benefit residents of the territory.
How the Dispute Started
The disagreement dates back to August, when Kingibe raised concerns over FCT borrowing during an interview on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm.
The senator said she had reviewed information from the Debt Management Office (DMO) concerning the FCT’s borrowing and had raised her concerns with Senate leadership.
Kingibe argued that the National Assembly has an oversight role over government borrowing and said she had not seen Wike appear before the Senate to seek approval for the loans she was referring to.
The issue subsequently became more contentious after Wike responded publicly to the senator’s allegations.
The minister rejected the accusation and said the FCT’s borrowing was part of the budgetary process.
FCT Debt Has Increased Significantly
Official debt figures provide important context to the disagreement.
Data from the Debt Management Office, as reported in analyses of its domestic-debt figures, show that the FCT’s domestic debt stood at ₦88.51 billion in September 2023 and rose to ₦389.88 billion by March 2026.
The figures show that the increase was not uniform throughout the period.
FCT domestic debt stood at ₦78.93 billion in September 2025 before rising to ₦188.86 billion by December 2025 and then reaching ₦389.88 billion in March 2026.
That represents an increase of about ₦201 billion between December 2025 and March 2026 alone.
The increase in debt, however, does not by itself establish that any borrowing was undertaken unlawfully or without legislative approval.
The central unresolved question in the current dispute is whether the specific borrowing arrangements identified by Kingibe received the approvals required under Nigeria’s legal and budgetary framework.
National Assembly Has Approved FCT Budget
There is also evidence of the National Assembly’s involvement in the FCT’s wider budgetary process.
The National Assembly reported in March 2026 that the Senate had approved the second reading of the FCT’s ₦2.2 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill.
According to the National Assembly, the proposed budget included ₦1.657 trillion for capital projects, alongside allocations for personnel and overhead expenditure.
The Senate said the bill was subsequently referred to the relevant committee for further consideration.
The existence of parliamentary approval for the FCT budget is separate from the specific question raised by Kingibe about approval for particular loans.
That distinction is important because budgetary approval and the authorisation of specific borrowing arrangements can involve different legislative and administrative steps.
Kingibe Says No Public Official Is Above Scrutiny
In her latest response, Kingibe stressed that public office does not remove officials from scrutiny.
She said ministers and other public officials should remain accountable to citizens and relevant institutions.
The senator also rejected Wike’s suggestion that he could determine whether she would return to the Senate after the 2027 election.
Kingibe said the decision about who represents the FCT in the Senate belongs to voters in the territory.
Wike had previously said Kingibe would not return to the Senate in 2027 and expressed support for former FCT senator Philip Aduda in the next election.
The comments have added an electoral dimension to what initially centred on borrowing and legislative oversight.
Political Dispute Extends Beyond Loans
The disagreement between Kingibe and Wike is occurring against the backdrop of preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Kingibe is the incumbent FCT senator, while Wike has publicly commented on the senator’s political future and expressed support for another political figure.
Kingibe has rejected the minister’s assertions about her electoral prospects, maintaining that voters will determine the outcome of the 2027 Senate election.
The exchange illustrates how disputes over government policy and legislative oversight can become intertwined with broader political competition as elections approach.
However, statements by either politician about the likely outcome of the election remain political claims and do not establish what voters will ultimately decide.
What Happens Next
The immediate issue requiring clarification is the documentary evidence surrounding the FCT borrowings.
Kingibe has specifically asked Wike to produce the Senate’s Votes and Proceedings showing when and how the relevant borrowing was approved.
Wike, meanwhile, maintains that FCT borrowing followed the required budgetary and legislative process.
If official legislative records relating to the specific loans are made public, they could help clarify whether the borrowing received the approvals being disputed by the two officials.
The Debt Management Office’s debt records also provide a basis for continued scrutiny of the FCT’s financial obligations, but the debt figures alone cannot determine whether individual borrowing transactions complied with applicable approval requirements.
For residents of the FCT, the dispute is significant because borrowing decisions affect public finances, infrastructure development and future debt obligations.
The immediate focus therefore remains on the documentary record: what was borrowed, under what authority, which approvals were obtained, and how the funds are being used.
As the disagreement continues, Weng Global will distinguish between the competing political claims and any documentary evidence that emerges concerning the FCT’s borrowing.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- National Assembly of Nigeria — Senate report on the 2026 FCT Appropriation Bill.
- Voice of Nigeria — report on Wike’s response to Kingibe’s borrowing allegation.
- TheCable — reports on Kingibe’s original borrowing allegation and her September 24 response.
- Punch — report on Wike’s September 22 comments concerning Kingibe and the 2027 Senate election.
- Vanguard — report on Kingibe’s September 24 response.
