Gbajabiamila Can't Carry-out Oversight Function - Reps

Femi Gbajabiamila

The House of Representatives has stated that Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has no constitutional right to carry out oversight functions in any government agency or establishment.

The deputy spokesman of the Green Chamber, Philip Agbese, said this in an interview on Wednesday with newsmen.

The statement followed Daily Trust’s report that, Gbajabiamila, a former speaker of the House of Reps, embarked on an oversight visit to some government agencies, such as the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Bureau of Public Enterprises, the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure.

Gbajabiamila also visited the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the National Hajj Commission.

Daily Trust, in another report, claimed that Agbese said the Chief of Staff can visit for oversight of any government agency.

However, in his interaction with journalists, on Wednesday, the Green Chamber‘s deputy spokesman, said he was misquoted.

The lawmaker explained that the oversight function remains the exclusive, constitutional right of the National Assembly.

“I did not say that the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, Mr. Gbajabiamila, can oversight government agencies and parastatals. That role can only be played by the National Assembly.

“Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provide for the power of the National Assembly to investigate the performance of anyone or body charged with the responsibility of executing the laws enacted by the parliament.

“What I told the press is that the visit of the Chief of Staff as part of the executive arm is okay, but when it is called an oversight, it will conflict with the Constitution. Courtesy visits are in order, but they should not be seen as oversight”, Agbese clarified.