The House of Representatives has called for sanctions against Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and six Area Council Chairmen for alleged insubordination and disregard for the legislative body.
During a meeting of the House Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters in Abuja, committee member Ikonne Ifeanyi expressed his frustration over the officials’ refusal to appear before the House after being summoned.
Disrespect and Lack of Accountability
Ifeanyi criticized the Minister and the council chairmen, saying, “It is a show of disrespect and lack of regard for the House that the Minister and his council chairmen refused to appear after being invited. We should not be seen pleading for them to appear before us. Henceforth, we will not approve anything for both the minister and the area council chairmen.”
He further moved to bring the matter to the House floor for an explanation from the officials on their absence.
Breach of Constitutional Responsibilities
Committee Chairman Fredrick Agbedi viewed the actions of the Minister and the council chairmen as a breach of their constitutional responsibilities and a disservice to the people they serve. “The committee’s oversight function is essential to ensuring accountability and good governance, and this refusal to honor our invitation undermines these efforts.”
Agbedi also highlighted the lack of completed projects in the area councils despite substantial monthly allocations, stating, “This is appalling considering the huge monthly allocation running into billions of Naira to each of the six area councils in the last year and beyond.”
Call for Accountability
Rep. Adesola Adebayo (APC-Lagos), a committee member, emphasized that overseeing the activities of council areas is the House’s responsibility. Drawing from his experience as a former council chairman, he stated, “No chairman dares not to appear before the state House of Assembly because they have the power to remove them.”
He condemned the area council chairmen’s refusal to appear as deliberate disrespect towards the House of Representatives, despite receiving invitations. “They were fully invited but wrote a letter within an hour saying that they would not be coming. We should apply the maximum pressure on them; they should be accountable to the legislature.”
Last Chance for Compliance
Nurudeen Abbas (PDP-Oyo) suggested giving the Minister and the council chairmen one last chance to appear. “Let’s communicate with them again, and if they fail to appear, then we should sanction them.”
Federal lawmaker Sada Soli (APC-Katsina) proposed that members convene a closed session to discuss the matter further.
Bottom Line
The House of Representatives is calling for strict measures against the FCT Minister and six Area Council Chairmen for failing to respect legislative summons. The officials are accused of neglecting their constitutional duties and disregarding the House’s authority, prompting calls for accountability and potential sanctions if they continue to ignore legislative oversight.
