Mr. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed allegations that the Minister awarded contracts worth N5 billion.

In a statement on Monday in Abuja, Olayinka described the claims as false, baseless, and lacking evidence, challenging anyone with proof to produce official documents showing such contract approvals.

He clarified that in December 2023, a bill of about N10 billion was presented to the Minister as outstanding payments for projects carried out by local contractors before Wike assumed office.

“The category of these projects was referred to as ‘Shopping’ or ‘Minor Procurement.’ In the same December 2023, the Minister approved payment of over N5 billion, which was immediately made. By January 2024, an additional payment exceeding N5 billion was cleared, fully settling the outstanding N10 billion,” Olayinka explained.

He added that three months later, another bill of more than N15 billion surfaced under the Minor Procurement category, raising concerns from the Minister on how such contracts were approved without his consent.

“How can you claim to have carried out jobs worth over N15 billion within three months without the Minister’s approval? How can you accumulate such debts on contracts within that short period? From N15 billion to N8 billion and now N5 billion, the question is, on whose authority were these contracts awarded?” he queried.

Olayinka insisted that the issue was one of accountability, not speculation, stressing that those behind the allegations must first answer these critical questions.