Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has distanced himself from claims that he awarded contracts worth N5 billion to local contractors, insisting that the payments made under his watch were solely to offset inherited liabilities.

Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, in a statement on Monday, maintained that Wike has not awarded any new contracts since assuming office.

He urged those alleging otherwise to produce documentary evidence of contract awards made by the minister.

Olayinka explained that in December 2023, a bill of about N10 billion was presented to the minister as outstanding payment for “minor procurements,” also known as “shopping,” executed by local contractors before his tenure. Out of this, Wike approved and disbursed over N5 billion in December, while another N5 billion was paid in January 2024, effectively clearing the inherited N10 billion debt.

He noted, however, that three months later, another claim of over N15 billion surfaced as an outstanding payment under the same category of minor procurements, raising questions about the source and approval of such contracts.

“How can you claim to have executed jobs worth over N15 billion in three months without the approval of the minister? How can you accumulate such debt within such a short period?” Olayinka queried.

According to him, the figures being circulated have shifted inconsistently from N15 billion to N8 billion and now N5 billion.

He stressed that the real issue is identifying under whose authority the contracts were purportedly awarded.

“These are the questions that must be answered first before dragging the minister’s name into allegations of contract awards,” he added.

Disputes over approvals, payments, and allegations of political patronage have often marred procurement and contract awards in the Federal Capital Territory.

Past ministers have faced similar accusations of irregular awards and inflated bills on so-called “minor procurements” and “shopping contracts”, categories that experts argue are prone to abuse.

Public procurement experts highlight loopholes in the system that enable contractors to submit multiple claims without clear ministerial documentation.

“Minor procurements are supposed to cover small-scale, urgent jobs, but they have often been used as a back door for inflated contracts,” said a procurement analyst who requested anonymity.

Similarly, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has long warned that weak oversight in FCT contracting processes fuels corruption and erodes public trust.

“Without full transparency and publication of contract approvals, these recurring liabilities will remain a burden on successive administrations,” the group noted in an earlier advisory.

Wike’s questioning of the N15 billion claims may reopen longstanding debates on accountability and procurement reforms in the FCT, a sector that has historically been vulnerable to political influence and patronage.