The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, blocked a move to investigate a series of serious allegations against the administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The motion, which highlighted issues ranging from illegal land revocation to waste management, was ruled out of order for failing to meet procedural requirements.
Motion Ruled Defective on Arrival
The proposed investigation was sponsored by Senator Ireti Kingibe, who presented it as a matter of urgent national importance. She invoked Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules to bring attention to what she described as persistent malpractices.
In her submission, Senator Kingibe raised alarms over alleged illegal revocation of land titles, forced evictions, and the reallocation of plots. She particularly criticized the development of green areas and service corridors in Abuja originally designated for sewage, water, and electricity infrastructure under the Abuja Master Plan.
Kingibe reminded her colleagues that less than a year prior, the Senate had summoned the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over similar concerns regarding unlawful land administration and disregard for due process. She expressed dismay that these practices were continuing despite the previous legislative intervention.
Leadership Criticism and Defense
However, the motion faced immediate and strong opposition from the Senate's leadership. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin declared the motion "dead on arrival," simultaneously praising Minister Wike for his "commendable performance" in transforming Abuja.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio argued that the motion lacked focus and could not be classified as urgent. He stated that Abuja is now rated as one of Africa's most developed cities and criticized the motion for bundling unrelated issues together.
"When a senator raises a matter of urgent national importance, it must be specific and focused," Akpabio said. "If it is about waste management, then it should be on waste management alone, not linking salaries, demolition and land administration. This cannot be described as a matter of urgent national importance."
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele supported this view, stressing that matters of true urgency are those that cannot wait a single day. He advised Senator Kingibe to withdraw the motion and re-present it later as a more focused, substantive motion.
Limited Support and Final Outcome
Senator Victor Umeh offered a partial defense of the motion, arguing that the waste management aspect alone was serious enough to warrant the Senate's urgent attention. His support, however, was not enough to salvage the proposal.
Further clarifying his ruling, Senate President Akpabio stated that the motion amounted to a broad probe of the entire FCT administration, which fell outside the narrow scope allowed by the rules for urgent matters. Senator Munguno also described the motion as "incurably bad."
The final outcome saw Senator Ireti Kingibe being given the opportunity to withdraw her motion. She was advised to resubmit it strictly as a substantive motion focused only on waste management issues, leaving out the other allegations related to land, demolitions, and salaries.
This decision means that, for now, the Senate will not be launching an official investigation into the wide-ranging allegations of administrative lapses within the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
