Claim: Senator Ireti Kingibe stated that the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) is the largest local government in Nigeria.

Verdict: Claim is misleading

Full Story

Ireti Kingibe was elected in 2023 on the platform of the Labour Party as the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). During her campaign, she argued that the FCT lacked credible representation and pledged to prioritise accessibility, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) projects, mass housing, and agro-processing initiatives.

In the period following her election, tensions emerged between the senator and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, particularly over governance issues. One notable disagreement followed the minister’s announcement of movement restrictions in Abuja on the eve of the 2026 FCT Area Council elections.

The elections, held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, involved voters across the six area councils—Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali—who were expected to elect six chairmen and 62 councillors across 68 constituencies.

While speaking on ARISE Television, Kingibe criticised the restriction policy, describing it as authoritarian and inconsistent with democratic norms. During the interview, she also commented on the significance of local elections and stated:

“Elections are supposed to be important. AMAC, for instance, is the largest local government in Nigeria. The appropriation for AMAC alone monthly, in comparison to many states, should be working for many people. But it hasn’t because of the calibre of local government chairmen we are getting.”

Her remark generated mixed reactions on social media. Some users questioned her performance, others urged stronger political action, while supporters defended her position.

For instance, @comforterim315 argued, “This senator was a disappointment considering how she came in. I did not feel her presence, especially with projects ”.

@mluther2485 challenged her to act, saying, “Madam, you are sounding defeated. Where is your spirit?

@EASYB.AWARENESS praised her, saying, “Senator Ireti Kingibe, God bless your wisdom for speaking the truth. May God grant you good health and a long life.”

At the time of this fact-check, no official clarification had been issued by the senator’s media office regarding the accuracy of the statement.

Verification

Available data does not support the claim that AMAC is the largest local government in Nigeria.

AMAC is one of the six area councils within the FCT and includes key districts such as Garki, Wuse, Maitama, and Asokoro. Population estimates frequently place AMAC among the most populous councils in the FCT, with projections approaching two million residents in recent years.

However, “largest local government” can be assessed using different criteria:

By Landmass:
A Daily Trust report reveals Borgu Local Government Area in Niger State is widely recognised as the largest LGA in Nigeria by land area, covering roughly 11,000 km² — far exceeding AMAC’s land size of about 1,400–1,500 km².

By Population:
Alimosho Local Government Area in Lagos State is commonly cited as Nigeria’s most populous LGA. Census figures and subsequent projections consistently rank it ahead of other councils nationwide.

By Federal Allocation:
Fiscal analyses, including BusinessDay reports, have shown that Alimosho received the highest FAAC allocations among Nigeria’s 774 LGAs during recent review periods, reflecting its population size and statutory revenue formula.

In conclusion, evidence from demographic, geographic and fiscal measures indicates that Borgu LGA by landmass, while Alimosho LGA ranks the largest by population and FAAC allocation.

While AMAC is the largest area council within the FCT and one of the most significant urban councils in Nigeria, it is not the largest local government in Nigeria by any standard metric.

Verdict: The claim is misleading.

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