The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims by local contractors that his administration owes them N5.2 billion, insisting that the debts stemmed from contracts irregularly awarded by civil servants without ministerial approval.
On Monday, a group of contractors staged a protest at the minister’s residence, alleging that the FCT Administration owed them billions for projects already executed.
However, in a swift reaction, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, clarified that the minister had not awarded any fresh contracts since assuming office and had instead cleared a N10 billion debt backlog inherited from his predecessor.
Speaking on Tuesday during the inauguration of Phase 2 rehabilitation works at the Lower Usman Dam in Ushafa, Wike described the protest as “blackmail” orchestrated by corrupt officials using hired demonstrators to push fraudulent claims.
“I came on board and people were already shouting that local contractors were being owed N5bn, N8bn. I asked, who awarded these contracts? Civil servants sit in their offices and award contracts of N10m, N15m, N20m without the minister’s knowledge. Then they turn around to say the minister is owing N15bn. That will never happen! Nobody can intimidate me on that,” he declared.
The minister maintained that his administration would only honour properly awarded contracts backed by available funding.
“If I award contracts, I will pay. But I don’t award contracts without money. Even the Federal Executive Council awarded some, and I told them to hold on until funds were available. Let nobody say I borrowed money,” he said.
Challenging his critics, Wike demanded evidence that he personally approved any of the disputed contracts.
“Let anyone who claims I awarded a contract produce the documents. If I didn’t, why should I be held responsible? We must do things right. If it wasn’t done properly before, it doesn’t mean it won’t be done properly today,” he added.
The former Rivers State governor also condemned the practice of splitting projects into small sums of N10m, N15m, or N25m, describing it as a deliberate scheme by civil servants to siphon funds without meaningful results.
“You cannot embarrass me. Go and meet those who awarded you contracts and tell them your children are out of school. It’s not my business,” Wike stated, vowing to resist pressure and end the “business as usual” culture of frivolous spending in the FCT Administration.