The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has said the House does not need President Bola Tinubu to appear before lawmakers to answer questions on the implementation of the 2025 Appropriation Act.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Agbese maintained that the responsibility for explaining the execution of the budget rests with ministers, heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, which are directly involved in implementing government spending.
His remarks followed Wednesday’s heated plenary session sparked by a motion seeking to invite President Tinubu to explain the alleged poor implementation of the 2025 budget, particularly constituency projects.
The controversy began when the lawmaker representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency of Abia State, Mascot Ikwechegh, introduced a motion urging the House to summon the President over the budget’s implementation.
However, Speaker of the House Abbas Tajudeen ruled that Ikwechegh had deviated from the approved version of the motion by adding a fresh prayer seeking to summon the President.
“It is a complete deviation from the copy you gave me,” the Speaker ruled during the session.
Reacting to the development, Agbese stressed that while the National Assembly has constitutional oversight powers, the officials directly responsible for implementing the budget should be the ones held accountable.
“The House does not need Mr President to appear before it to resolve budget-related issues. The relevant ministers and the Office of the Accountant-General are the right people to answer the questions members are asking because they are directly involved in budget implementation,” he said.
He added that lawmakers would continue to scrutinise government spending to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.
According to Agbese, the House remains committed to ensuring that funds appropriated for constituency projects and other public programmes are properly utilised through engagements with ministers, heads of MDAs and other relevant government officials.
The lawmaker also praised Speaker Abbas Tajudeen for his handling of the debate, describing his conduct during the plenary as fair, calm and consistent with parliamentary procedures.
He further urged Nigerians not to politicise the House’s oversight responsibilities, insisting that lawmakers remain focused on ensuring prudent management of public resources and the effective implementation of the 2025 budget.