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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims by local contractors that his administration owes them N5.2 billion, saying the debts were from irregular contracts awarded by civil servants without his approval.
On Monday, some contractors protested at the minister’s residence, alleging that the FCT Administration owed them for projects already executed. But Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, said the allegations were false. He explained that the minister had not awarded any new contracts since he assumed office and had already cleared a backlog of N10 billion left behind by 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 an act of blackmail. He accused corrupt officials of sponsoring demonstrators to pressure him into paying questionable 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,” Wike declared.
The minister stressed that his administration would only honour contracts that were legally awarded and backed with available funding. He also insisted that he would not be forced into borrowing money for projects.
“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.
Wike challenged anyone who claimed he awarded the disputed contracts to present documentary evidence. According to him, it was wrong to hold him responsible for contracts that were never approved by him.
“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 minister further criticised the practice of splitting projects into small sums of N10m, N15m, or N25m. He said such practices were ploys by some civil servants to siphon public funds without producing meaningful results.
Wike maintained that he would not be intimidated into continuing the “business as usual” culture of frivolous spending and padded contracts.
“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,” he concluded.
