The Senate has issued a stern warning to the heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs), declaring that institutions that fail to honour invitations from its committees will face constitutional and legislative sanctions.
The resolution was adopted during Thursday’s plenary following concerns over the repeated refusal of several government agencies to appear before the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa.
Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio led lawmakers in unanimously approving resolutions directing all government agencies to comply with invitations from Senate committees or risk sanctions in accordance with the 1999 Constitution and other relevant laws.
Leading the debate, Senator Abdul Ningi criticised the persistent absence of some agencies, describing it as a direct challenge to the authority of the National Assembly and a threat to Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
According to him, the Senate can no longer continue pleading with agencies to fulfil what he described as their constitutional obligation.
“We must start by calling their attention that this is the last warning. Secondly, we will write to the President to inform him that this arm of government is not being respected. Thirdly, no budgetary allocation to any organisation that refuses to come,” Ningi said.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Adams Oshiomhole argued that President Bola Tinubu should not be blamed for the actions of defaulting agencies, insisting that responsibility rests squarely with their chief executives.
He also accused some agencies of failing to comply with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and Treasury directives, describing such conduct as damaging to Nigeria’s economy.
“I consider this an act of economic sabotage,” Oshiomhole said.
Former Abia State Governor and Senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, maintained that the Senate already possesses sufficient constitutional powers to compel attendance without involving the Executive.
Citing Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, Kalu urged lawmakers to invoke their powers where necessary.
“This is not the job of the President. Our job is to do oversight. Sections 88 and 89 are there. If they don’t come, we raise a warrant,” he stated.
Senator Halilu Ahmed also reminded lawmakers that Section 89(1)(d) of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to issue warrants compelling attendance by individuals or institutions that ignore legislative summons.
While supporting stronger enforcement measures, some senators urged restraint, advising that constitutional powers should be exercised with fairness and decorum.
At the end of the debate, the Senate called on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and all ministers to ensure that agencies under their supervision promptly honour invitations from the National Assembly.
Lawmakers further resolved that any agency deliberately obstructing legislative oversight or refusing to appear before Senate committees would face sanctions under the 1999 Constitution, the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the Senate Standing Orders.
A proposal seeking the immediate issuance of bench warrants against defaulting agency heads was withdrawn after procedural objections, while another provision in the motion was removed before its adoption.
In a separate resolution, the Senate also approved a motion sponsored by Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero, directing all MDAs to submit their audited financial statements regularly to the relevant Senate committees in line with Section 85(2) of the Constitution.
Aliero said the timely submission of audited accounts is critical to strengthening transparency, accountability and effective legislative oversight of public finances.
The resolutions signal the Senate’s determination to enforce compliance with its oversight responsibilities and improve accountability in the management of public institutions.