ABUJA: Tension escalated at the National Assembly on Thursday as the Senate moved against the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, over his repeated failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Finance for budget defence sessions, with lawmakers calling on President Bola Tinubu to terminate his appointment.
The confrontation unfolded during the Ministry of Finance’s budget defence and interactive session with members of the Federal Government’s economic team in Abuja. Senators expressed outrage that despite several invitations, the CAC boss allegedly failed to honour legislative summons, instead delegating junior officers to represent him.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) moved a motion calling for Magaji to be summoned and for his appointment to be terminated, describing his conduct as unacceptable and disrespectful to the legislature.
“Since I came to this Senate, he has consistently failed to appear before this committee when invited,” Kalu said.
“He is fond of sending junior officers to represent him as if he is above the law. This can no longer continue.”
The motion was seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), who warned that the National Assembly could refuse to appropriate funds for the commission in the 2026 budget if the situation persisted.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (Niger East), described the development as a serious violation of legislative authority and a breach of constitutional responsibility.
He stressed that the committee exercises constitutional oversight over Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and that compliance with legislative summons was not optional.
“I must address institutional responsibility,” Musa said. “The Senate Committee on Finance exercises constitutional authority to oversight MDAs. It is, therefore, unacceptable that some MDAs delay submissions, ignore legislative inquiries or refuse to honour invitations. Oversight is not an optional courtesy. It is a constitutional requirement.”
The session, which was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, as well as the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, highlighted broader concerns about fiscal discipline and accountability among government agencies.
While Edun attributed funding challenges facing MDAs to revenue shortfalls and exchange rate fluctuations, he urged agencies to prioritise critical projects and strengthen internal revenue generation to ease pressure on government finances.
However, members of the committee insisted that transparency and accountability in budget planning and execution must not be compromised.
They warned that continued defiance of legislative oversight by any agency head would attract sanctions, including the possible invocation of the Senate’s full constitutional powers.
With the call now formally made for presidential intervention, the standoff signals a deepening clash between the legislature and the leadership of the CAC, as lawmakers vow to enforce compliance and protect the integrity of the budget process..
