In a sharp rebuke of official silence, the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI) has issued a clarion call to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (OAuGF), demanding the immediate release of audit reports on the accounts of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for the years 2020 through 2023.
Over four months after submitting a Freedom of Information (FOI) request on February 11, 2025, the civic watchdog says it has been met with deafening silence, despite the clear stipulations of the FOI Act of 2011, which mandates transparency and timely disclosure of public information.
PLSI, a civil society organization committed to accountability in public finance, described the delay as troubling, especially in light of the federal government’s repeated pledges to openness and fiscal responsibility. The group warns that this stonewalling undermines the country’s democratic principles and signals a worrying tolerance for opacity in the management of public resources.
“When such an alarming amount of taxpayers’ money is being spent, yet citizens are denied access to audit reports that should show how funds are being managed, it is not only unacceptable—it is dangerous to our democracy,” said Olusegun Elemo, PLSI’s Executive Director.
At the heart of the matter is the FCTA—custodian of the nation’s capital, Abuja, which has come under increasing public scrutiny. One flashpoint is the recent revelation that N39 billion was spent on the renovation of the International Conference Centre (ICC). The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, defended the expenditure, but critics have described the project as a symbol of fiscal extravagance cloaked in secrecy.
For PLSI, the stakes are high. The organization insists that audit reports are not mere bureaucratic paperwork to be locked away in dusty government shelves. Rather, they are vital instruments of democratic oversight—tools that empower citizens to track how budgeted promises translate into tangible public service.
“The Federal Capital Territory is not just another administrative unit,” the group said, emphasizing that it is the very seat of power and a barometer for national governance.
The group warned that the refusal to release audit reports sets a dangerous precedent and sends a chilling message to anti-corruption advocates. It called on citizens, media, civil society, and development partners to rise in unison and demand fiscal openness as a non-negotiable pillar of governance.
In its closing salvo, PLSI reminded authorities that audits are not afterthoughts and should never be treated as classified documents. “If we must fight corruption and ensure service delivery, audits must matter to everyone,” it declared.
