The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has issued a fresh seven-day summons to key administrative and financial officers across all six Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils over unresolved audit queries and financial irregularities totaling approximately ₦100 billion.
The summons directs the Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs), Directors of Finance, and Heads of Audit from Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali to appear before the panel on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Failure to comply with the summons will attract strict disciplinary action and sanctions under relevant service rules and constitutional provisions.
The summons follows a repeated failure of the six area council chairpersons to honor legislative invitations. Notably, officials failed to appear or provide representation for a scheduled hearing on September 22, 2026, a specific date granted by the committee at the council chairpersons’ own request.
Speaking on the resolution, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Bamidele Salam, expressed frustration over the ongoing delays, noting that “The last date of appearance of the Abuja Area Councils was September 22, 2026, which was a date they requested and which was graciously granted by the committee. Yet, they failed to appear or send in any representation.”
He further stated that “The committee has therefore decided to issue summons to the Directors of Personnel Management and Finance of these local governments, including their Heads of Audit, to appear without fail on Wednesday, October 14, failure of which they will be made to bear consequences according to service rules.”
The legislative probe originates from queries in the Annual Audit Report of the Auditor-General for the Six FCT Area Councils for the year ended December 31, 2021, along with expanded reviews into subsequent financial years:
The Auditor-General identified ₦7.65 billion in unremitted statutory obligations and debts owed to tax authorities, Pension Fund Administrators, and contractors. The report noted that these liabilities comprised “unremitted pension deduction, unremitted Pay as You Earn (PAYE), unpaid capital projects, unpaid value-added tax and withholding tax, AMAC: ₦2.19 billion, Bwari: ₦1.49 billion, Kwali: ₦1.46 billion, Gwagwalada: ₦1.01 billion, Kuje: ₦892.2 million and Abaji: ₦593.8 million
The committee is demanding full documentation and supporting proofs for ₦24.87 billion spent across personnel, overheads, and capital expenditure in 2021: AMAC: ₦5.03 billion, Gwagwalada: ₦4.66 billion, Kuje: ₦3.85 billion, Kwali: ₦3.84 billion, Bwari: ₦3.74 billion and Abaji: ₦3.71 billion
The Auditor-General highlighted a widespread failure across the councils to maintain updated fixed asset registers, risking untraceable losses. Gwagwalada Area Council was specifically cited for poorly recorded non-current assets valued at ₦336 million. The Auditor General for the Six Area Council reported that the value of non-current assets of Gwagwalada Area Council stood at N336m. However, the Auditor General observed that the ledger records of the non-current assets were not properly maintained and updated as and when due, which could give room for loss of assets without being traced. This exception is common among other FCT Area Councils.
The Committee’s review of the 2022 and 2023 reports uncovered further infractions, including:
- Alleged understatement of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
- Unauthorized disposal of public assets.
- Non-disclosure of statutory revenues and failure to remit withholding taxes.
- Complete failure by the councils to audit and submit their annual financial statements for 2023, 2024, and 2025 as required by law.
Reaffirming the panel’s mandate, Hon. Salam emphasized that the National Assembly will enforce strict compliance with financial regulations: “The committee will insist on accountability in the management of public funds and officials found culpable will face the consequences provided by law.”
