The Senate on Thursday rejected a motion seeking a review of the process for evaluating, considering, and awarding contracts in the National Assembly in line with procurement regulations and the parliament’s approved budget.
The upper chamber decided after a majority of senators opposed the proposal during the plenary session.
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The motion, sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), was stepped down after lawmakers argued that the Senate leadership needed first to address the issues raised and reach a clear position before bringing the matter to public debate.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said lawmakers needed to properly study and understand the National Assembly budget, including the amounts appropriated for various projects and their scope, before assessing performance or considering changes to the procurement process.
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“We should start with ourselves, and we should get the two chambers to know exactly what is going on. We should also debate and understand the budget. We should know how much is coming, what is going to where and what is going to where. This motion is premature,” he said.
The motion
While presenting the motion, Mr Karimi said that reviewing the procurement process would strengthen the autonomy of the National Assembly as guaranteed by the Constitution.
He proposed the establishment of an Internal Tenders Board for the National Assembly to evaluate, consider, and approve procurement matters and contract awards within approved budgetary provisions for the legislature and its affiliated institutions.
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According to him, the board would exercise these functions on behalf of the National Assembly management within the limits of approved appropriations and in accordance with existing financial regulations and procurement guidelines
He also urged the Senate to mandate the Clerk to the National Assembly to immediately constitute the board and issue administrative guidelines for its operations.
Opposition
Most senators, however, opposed the proposal.
Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central) said lawmakers should focus on establishing a Budget and Research Office rather than creating another body to oversee contract awards.
“Two of the problems that we have in the National Assembly regarding the management of finances and the budget do not solely lie in the process of procurement. The problem has been that the National Assembly has not set up a Budget and Research Office,” he said.
Mr Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi State, complained that senators are often unaware of the details of the National Assembly budget.
“What is happening today is that we don’t even know, and we don’t even see the budget of the National Assembly being presented here so that we can interrogate and understand the lines of expenditure.
“My opinion is that the senator should step down on this motion. Let us get the house right first before we talk about the issues that the Distinguished Senator Karimi is raising,” he stated.
Thereafter, Mr Akpabio said the sponsor ought to have consulted with him, the Clerk to the National Assembly, and principal officers before bringing the motion to the chamber.
“Senator Karimi, you should have discussed this even with me in the presence of the Clerk to the National Assembly and the principal officers of management so that I get clearance on what you are coming up with,” Mr Akpabio said.
He subsequently urged Mr Karimi to withdraw the motion, a request the Kogi West senator accepted.
The motion comes less than 24 hours after Mr Akpabio threatened to sanction the contractor responsible for the renovation of the National Assembly chambers following repeated technical faults with the newly installed audio system.
During Wednesday’s plenary, malfunctioning microphones produced echoes and distorted sound. The Senate president, however, said the contractor responsible for the project would be held accountable.
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Nigerians have been criticising the National Assembly’s procurement system and contract management processes, particularly amid concerns about the quality of projects executed within the parliament despite significant budgetary allocations.
Critics have repeatedly questioned the transparency of contract awards, project supervision, value-for-money considerations and the mechanisms for holding contractors accountable when projects fail to meet expected standards.
The National Assembly has also faced criticism over the years for the secrecy surrounding its budget and procurement activities. Unlike many government institutions, the legislature’s spending, contract awards and project execution are often not subject to extensive public scrutiny, making it difficult to assess whether public funds are being efficiently utilised independently.
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