The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has issued a final seven-day notice to officials of the six Federal Capital Territory Area Councils, summoning them over unresolved financial queries involving about N100 billion. The councils in question are Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. They are required to appear before the committee on October 14 or face sanctions.
The financial queries date back to the Auditor-General's report for the financial year ended December 31, 2021, which identified N7.65 billion in outstanding liabilities. These include unremitted pension deductions, PAYE, VAT, and withholding taxes, as well as unpaid obligations to contractors. Additionally, the councils spent N24.87 billion on personnel, overheads, and capital projects in 2021. The audit raised questions about the documentation and accountability for part of this expenditure.
The concerns did not end with the 2021 accounts, as subsequent audits covering 2022 and part of 2023 raised fresh issues. These include alleged understatement of internally generated revenue, unauthorized disposal of assets, non-disclosure of statutory revenue, and failure to remit withholding taxes. Furthermore, the councils have reportedly failed to audit and submit their financial accounts for 2023, 2024, and 2025 as required.
This is not the first time the council officials have been summoned by the Public Accounts Committee. In February 2026, the committee summoned the council chairmen over the same alleged financial infractions and warned that constitutional powers could be invoked to compel their appearance. However, that episode did not produce the expected accountability. By September, the chairmen were again invited but failed to appear.
The Public Accounts Committee has now issued another "final" summons, emphasizing the need for resolution rather than repeated queries. The committee suggests that if officials can repeatedly disregard the legislature without immediate and proportionate consequences, the problem transcends council administration and becomes a test of the accountability system's credibility.
To address the issue, the PAC should publish a clear status report on every major query, including the amount involved, the responsible council or official, explanations offered, amounts recovered, and outstanding actions. Repeated non-compliance should trigger automatic consequences under existing law and service rules. Additionally, the Auditor-General's reports should be followed by a mandatory enforcement mechanism involving anti-corruption and prosecutorial agencies where evidence of criminality exists.
The National Assembly must also examine its oversight record, as an accountability system is only as strong as its ability to close the loop. The FCT Area Councils handle public resources that should translate into essential services for citizens. Every naira that cannot be properly accounted for potentially represents a service that was not delivered. Therefore, the latest "final summons" must be different from previous ones, with real consequences for non-compliance.
Key points
- The Nigerian House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has summoned officials of six Federal Capital Territory Area Councils over unresolved financial queries involving about N100 billion.
- The financial queries date back to the Auditor-General's report for 2021 and include N7.65 billion in outstanding liabilities and N24.87 billion spent on personnel, overheads, and capital projects.
- The councils have reportedly failed to audit and submit their financial accounts for 2023, 2024, and 2025 as required, raising concerns about accountability and transparency.
