The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has declared that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, committed no infraction in the financing of projects and programmes in the nation’s capital.

Agbese, a Labour Party lawmaker from Benue State, dismissed allegations that Wike obtained loans for Abuja without the approval of the National Assembly, describing the minister as one of the most legislatively compliant public servants under the scrutiny of the legislature.

He was reacting to claims by Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the FCT, that the FCT Administration had engaged in borrowings without securing the approval of the National Assembly.

Kingibe had, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm, alleged that Wike had been taking loans for the FCT without legislative approval. She said she had raised the matter with the Senate leadership, insisting that she had never seen the minister 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.

The senator said FCT budgets were usually presented to the Senate through the relevant committee before consideration and approval, adding that her concerns over the alleged borrowings followed her review of Debt Management Office (DMO) information covering the period between August 2023 and March 2026.

But Agbese said there was no basis for suggesting that Wike had circumvented the National Assembly or acted outside established procedures in financing projects in the territory.

“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,” he said.

According to him, public borrowing is governed by established constitutional and administrative processes, stressing that the FCT minister could not unilaterally create a sovereign borrowing obligation outside those procedures.

Agbese said Wike had consistently subjected the FCT Administration to legislative scrutiny through budget presentations, committee engagements and other oversight activities, adding that his record of interaction with the National Assembly contradicted suggestions that he operated without legislative oversight.

He said an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not, by itself, be interpreted as evidence of wrongdoing, particularly given the scale of infrastructure development under Wike, including road construction and rehabilitation, transportation infrastructure and other capital projects.

The lawmaker maintained that financing infrastructure through lawful borrowing was not an offence, stressing that the key issue was whether the required approvals and procedures had been followed. He urged anyone alleging a violation to identify the specific transactions and produce evidence.

“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.