A group of contractors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the Association of Indigenous Contractors of FCT, has petitioned the National Assembly, accusing FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of abuse of power and non-payment of completed contracts.
The petition highlights the arrest of contractor Mr. Benson Ehuwa, who was allegedly detained on Wike’s orders for sending the minister a WhatsApp message about his family’s financial struggles due to unpaid contract fees.
The contractors claim Wike has withheld N5.2 billion owed for public works projects, despite past attempts to resolve the issue through peaceful protests and meetings.
They allege that Wike instructed police to detain Ehuwa for two weeks without bail and has ignored repeated requests from his aides to address the contractors’ payment issues.
According to the contractors, while refusing to settle previous contracts, Wike has continued to award and pay for new projects given to associates.
The petition, signed by representatives of the association on Tuesday, urges the Senate to intervene in securing payment for the contractors who say they are struggling to meet family expenses due to the delay.
