Reps Issue Seven-Day Final Summons as FCT Chairs Shun N100bn Audit Probe

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has issued a fresh seven-day final summons to officials of the six Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils over unresolved audit queries involving about N100bn.

The committee took the decision after the six council chairmen again failed to appear before it to answer questions arising from audit reports on their financial activities.

The chairmen had requested September 22, 2026, as the date for their appearance. They, however, failed to attend and did not send representatives.

The committee has now directed the Directors of Personnel Management, Directors of Finance and Heads of Audit of the six councils to appear on October 14, 2026.

The affected councils are Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

PAC Chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, said the committee had given the councils several opportunities to respond to the queries.

He said the councils also failed to provide documents requested by the committee to support their explanations.

“The last date of appearance of the Abuja Area Councils was September 22, 2026, which was a date they requested for and which was graciously granted by the committee. Yet, they failed to appear or send in any representation,” Salam said.

Salam warned that the committee would proceed against the relevant officials if the councils failed to honour the latest summons.

He added that failure to appear could attract sanctions under the applicable public service rules.

The audit queries include about N7.65bn in outstanding liabilities recorded against the six councils in the 2021 Auditor-General’s report.

The liabilities cover unremitted pension deductions, Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Value Added Tax (VAT), withholding tax and unpaid contractor obligations.

AMAC recorded the highest liability at N2.19bn, followed by Bwari with N1.49bn and Kwali with N1.46bn.

Gwagwalada had N1.01bn, while Kuje and Abaji recorded N892.2m and N593.8m respectively.

The Auditor-General linked the liabilities to obligations owed to revenue authorities, Pension Fund Administrators and contractors.

The committee also questioned the councils’ management of fixed assets.

It noted that some asset registers were not properly maintained or updated.

Gwagwalada, for instance, recorded non-current assets worth about N336m, prompting lawmakers to demand clarification on their management and documentation.

The committee is also seeking explanations and supporting documents for about N24.87bn spent by the six councils in 2021.

The expenditure covered personnel, overheads and capital projects.

AMAC accounted for N5.03bn, Gwagwalada N4.66bn, Kuje N3.85bn and Kwali N3.84bn.

Bwari spent N3.74bn, while Abaji recorded expenditure of N3.71bn.

The committee also raised fresh concerns from audit reports covering 2022 and part of 2023.

Among the issues are alleged understatement of internally generated revenue, unauthorised disposal of assets and failure to disclose some statutory revenue.

Lawmakers also questioned the non-remittance of withholding tax by the councils.

The committee further noted that the councils had yet to adequately audit and submit their accounts for 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The Public Accounts Committee derives its constitutional mandate from the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Its responsibilities include examining audited public accounts and investigating financial irregularities involving public funds.

The latest summons therefore gives the six councils another opportunity to provide the documents and explanations required to resolve the outstanding queries.