The Senate on Thursday passed the 2026 Statutory Appropriation Bill for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, approving total expenditure of N2.285 trillion for the administration and development of the nation’s capital.

The passage followed the presentation and consideration of the harmonised report of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the Federal Capital Territory during plenary in Abuja.

The report was presented by Austin Akobundu, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, on behalf of Committee Chairman Ibrahim Bomai.

Presenting the report, Akobundu said the committees recommended N2.285 trillion as the FCT statutory budget for 2026 from a projected revenue estimate of N2.385 trillion.

He explained that the budget included N165.7 billion for personnel costs, N378.2 billion for overhead expenditure, while N1.741 trillion was allocated to capital projects across the territory.

According to him, the budget structure showed that 76.19 per cent of the total allocation would be devoted to capital expenditure, while recurrent expenditure accounted for 23.8 per cent.

Akobundu said the appropriation complied with constitutional provisions and followed extensive consultations between the joint committees and officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA.

“The committees met with the minister and other relevant officials of the FCTA and deliberated extensively on the subject matter,” he said.

Lawmakers who contributed during the debate described the budget as balanced, development-oriented, and capable of accelerating infrastructure growth and security improvements within Abuja and surrounding satellite communities.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, commended the budget, describing it as “top notch” and reflective of strong commitment toward infrastructural transformation in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Mr President the budget is top notch. You know, I am the only one in the history of the legislature in this country that had the opportunity to serve as chairman appropriation committee in the House and in the Senate.

“So when I see a good budget I know it’s a good budget. It is a budget that’s top notch. We have to commend the FCT minister for doing a very good job.

“A budget that you have a total of N2.2 trillion and out of this, N1.7 trillion is going for capital.

“It shows his willingness and determination to continue to show FCT to the admiration of all,” he said.

Also contributing, Abdul Ningi described the budget as well-packaged and balanced, considering observations earlier raised by the Senate Committee on the FCT during previous budget reviews.

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took another dimension on Thursday when key political loyalists and associates of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State announced their resolve to leave the party.

DAILY POST gathered that the PDP has been embroiled in a series of crises in the last few months.

Our correspondent reports that a faction of the party is loyal to the governor.

Another faction is loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike.

DAILY POST gathered that many key loyalists of Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo State have left the party.

The loyalists announced their defection from the PDP on Thursday in separate locations.

Although there are speculations that they are on their way to the Allied Peoples’ Movement, none of those who resigned from the PDP stated the next political party they intend to join.

As at the last count, our correspondent learnt that no fewer than ten prominent chieftains of the party in the state had dumped the party.

Some of those who dumped the party are gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the party, Ambassador Olufemi Oguntoyinbo; Special Adviser on Security to the governor, Mr Fatai Owoseni; and Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Area, Engineer Akeem Olatunji.

Others are the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abiodun Fadeyi; member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa North/Ibarapa Central Federal Constituency, Anthony Adepoju; his counterpart representing Ibadan North East/Ibadan South East Federal Constituency, Abass Adigun; and the member representing Ibadan North West/Ibadan South West Federal Constituency, Adedeji Olajide.

Fadeyi, who represents Ona Ara State Constituency in the House of Assembly, while speaking with DAILY POST, noted that he dumped the PDP due to the internal crisis rocking the party.

Fadeyi, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, said: “Yes, I am also leaving the party. I am defecting, of course. The reason is what others are giving. What are the reasons others are giving? It is due to the internal crisis.”

Olatunji, a former Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, in his own remark, also cited internal crisis as the reason for his defection.

Olatunji, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, said: “Yes, it is true. Due to the internal crisis. You know Wike has bastardized the party. He did not allow the party to breathe. We need to give the people of our constituency the opportunity to enjoy good governance.”

As at the time of filing this report on Thursday, DAILY POST gathered that more loyalists of the governor were on their way out of the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.