SENATE PRESIDENT AKPABIO, SPEAKER ABBAS SLAM GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FOR IGNORING NASS SUMMONS, DEMAND STRONGER FISCAL OVERSIGHT. (PHOTO).

 Senate President Akpabio, Speaker Abbas Slam Government Officials for Ignoring NASS Summons, Demand Stronger Fiscal Oversight

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed alarm over the growing trend of government officials and institutions disregarding legislative summons, describing it as a direct challenge to democratic principles and the rule of law. Speaking through Senator Abdul Ningi at the National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance in Abuja, organized by the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of the Senate and House of Representatives, Akpabio urged the committees to assert their constitutional powers.

“The PACs possess the authority to summon any official to account for public expenditure. Any refusal to appear is an affront to democratic principles and a violation of the rule of law,” Akpabio stated, citing Sections 80, 81, and 88 of the 1999 Constitution. He criticized Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for their non-compliance and called for rigorous investigations and performance-based expenditure reviews to reassert legislative oversight.

Akpabio also advocated for enhanced technical support and the adoption of digital tools to strengthen scrutiny of complex entities like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. “This conference should not end in words alone; it must provide lawmakers with actionable strategies to reinforce fiscal accountability,” he emphasized.

In a related development, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, represented by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, raised concerns about Nigeria’s weak audit enforcement mechanisms, noting that audit queries worth over N300 billion remain unresolved. Abbas stressed that financial infractions must face consequences and highlighted the 10th House’s proactive measures, including real-time tracking, follow-up systems, and audit digitization to ensure MDA compliance with financial regulations.

“Fiscal oversight is no longer a ceremonial process; it is a strategic instrument for national growth,” Abbas said. He announced plans to make audit reports more accessible and understandable to the public and called for a harmonized national audit system to enforce fiscal discipline across all government tiers. “We are embedding a culture of performance-based reviews, sectoral audits, and impact assessments,” he added.

The conference underscores the National Assembly’s renewed commitment to strengthening oversight and ensuring accountability in public finance management. Both leaders urged lawmakers to adopt innovative strategies to address systemic challenges and enhance transparency.