NASS Roundup: Tinubu’s summons, rehabilitation of repentant terrorists, xenophobia, and other stories from the House of Reps

The House of Representatives resumed legislative activities this week following a three-week recess declared to commemorate the third anniversary of the 10th National Assembly, inaugurated on 13 June 2023.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

Upon resumption, lawmakers returned to a busy legislative schedule marked by intensive oversight, heated debates on budget implementation, renewed calls for public accountability, and resolutions on national security and the welfare of Nigerians abroad. Heated session as bid to summon Tinubu divides lawmakers

Proceedings on the House floor became raucous on Wednesday after a motion seeking to summon President Bola Tinubu to explain the poor implementation of the 2025 budget sparked sharp disagreement among lawmakers.

The motion, moved by Alex Ikwechegh (APGA, Aba North and South), highlighted significant delays in the release of appropriated funds. He noted that many ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) had received little or no capital releases despite budgetary approvals.

While the written motion urged the House to commend President Tinubu for directing the settlement of verified liabilities and called for the speedy implementation of that directive, Mr Ikwechegh further urged lawmakers to invite the president to personally explain why these funds had not translated into improved security and infrastructure.

During the ensuing debate, while some lawmakers argued that inviting the president was necessary given his constitutional responsibility for budget implementation, others insisted that the House should instead engage the responsible ministers and heads of relevant agencies.

The disagreement escalated into a rowdy session, forcing Speaker Abbas Tajudeen to intervene. He ruled that members must not deviate from the motions approved for debate and cautioned against introducing fresh prayers without adhering to parliamentary procedure. Reps summon Accountant-General, six MDAs over repeated absence

Stay Ahead with Premium Times

Add as a preferred source on Google

The House Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday summoned the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, and six MDAs to appear on Monday, 13 July, following their repeated failure to defend audit queries.

Lawmakers expressed concern that the persistent absence of key accounting officers is frustrating the National Assembly’s constitutional mandate to scrutinise public expenditure.

The Chairman, Bamidele Salam, noted that the committee had sent several letters to the Office of the Accountant-General over the past few months requesting documentation and inviting officials to appear. He stated that these requests had either gone unanswered or received inadequate responses. The committee warned that continued disregard for legislative invitations amounts to contempt of parliament and directed the affected agencies to comply or face sanctions. Lawmakers probe ₦1.3 billion allocation to ‘phantom’ agency

In a significant oversight action, the House has commenced an investigation into a controversial ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC)—an agency the federal government has described as non-existent.

The investigation follows revelations that the purported agency secured budgetary allocation, opened government bank accounts, and operated from office space within the Federal Secretariat despite not being legally established.

The decision followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) on Wednesday. Mr Gagdi warned that the incident exposed serious weaknesses in the appropriation system and raised concerns that other fictitious agencies might have slipped unnoticed into previous budgets.

The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, also disclosed that he unknowingly became entangled in the alleged scheme. Speaking during Wednesday’s plenary, Mr Kalu explained that his office had received a letter dated 2 May 2025 from an entity identifying itself as both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the PFIPC. The correspondence, which bore the Presidency’s insignia and cited an address at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, led his team to believe the organisation was a legitimate government body. He denied any relationship with the suspects and pledged full cooperation with security agencies. House demands an end to the rehabilitation of repentant terrorists

READ ALSO: Military links failed ISWAP attack in Borno to foreign terrorist facilitators

The House adopted a motion calling on the federal government to suspend the rehabilitation and reintegration of former insurgents.

The resolution followed the consideration of a motion sponsored by Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos) aimed at disrupting the financial networks sustaining kidnapping and terrorism. Lawmakers argued that, as many victims remain displaced and traumatised without adequate support, the continued rehabilitation of former combatants is difficult to justify.

Members expressed concern that some rehabilitated ex-combatants have allegedly returned to criminal activities, calling into question the effectiveness of existing deradicalisation programmes. The House urged the government to prioritise justice for victims and redirect resources towards supporting affected communities. Xenophobia: Lawmakers ask FG to summon South African envoy

On Thursday, the lower chamber adopted a motion urging the federal government to immediately summon the South African High Commissioner in response to renewed xenophobic attacks and the killing of Nigerians in South Africa.

The motion, sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi, decried the recurring violence, unlawful arrests, extrajudicial killings, and persecution of Nigerians in the country. Lawmakers have called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pursue stronger diplomatic measures to guarantee the safety of Nigerians in South Africa and ensure justice for victims.