RismadarVoice Reporters
October 13, 2026
Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to disclose the cost of his monthly media engagements, including any payments made to participating broadcast stations.
Ibe made the demand in a statement posted on X on Tuesday, calling for greater transparency in the use of public funds for the minister’s televised media chats.
He urged Wike to publish invoices, identify the sources of funding and disclose the budgetary provisions covering the broadcasts.
According to Ibe, eight television and radio outlets participated in the latest programme, raising questions about the financial arrangements behind the simultaneous broadcasts.
He estimated that airtime could cost between ₦10 million and ₦20 million per station per hour.
Based on those assumptions, Ibe suggested that a two-hour broadcast across eight stations could cost between ₦160 million and ₦320 million.
He further calculated that similar monthly engagements over 12 months could amount to between ₦1.92 billion and ₦3.84 billion.
However, the figures represent Ibe’s estimates and have not been independently verified. There is also no confirmation that the participating stations charged the rates he suggested or that the programmes were financed entirely from public funds.
Ibe maintained that FCT residents deserved to know whether public resources were being used to finance the engagements and, if so, how much had been spent.
He also urged the minister to devote greater attention during his media appearances to infrastructure and public services, including roads, water supply, education, healthcare, sanitation and security.
While acknowledging Wike’s right to communicate his administration’s activities to the public, Ibe argued that official media engagements should be conducted with financial transparency and accountability.
The challenge comes amid continuing political disagreements involving Wike and opposition figures.
The central issue raised by Ibe is whether the broadcasts involve public expenditure and whether the relevant financial records should be made available for public scrutiny.
