Reps Say Gbajabiamila Cannot Take Over National Assembly’s Oversight Role

• Deputy Spokesman Philip Agbese asserts Femi Gbajabiamila cannot perform the National Assembly’s oversight duties, clarifying his earlier misquoted statements
• Agbese emphasizes that oversight roles belong exclusively to the National Assembly, while Gbajabiamila’s visits to agencies are not oversight functions

The Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has stated that Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, cannot assume the National Assembly’s oversight duties.

Agbese made this clear during an interview with journalists in Abuja, responding to earlier concerns about Gbajabiamila’s oversight visits to several government agencies. The Benue lawmaker clarified that he was misquoted in an earlier report suggesting he supported Gbajabiamila’s visits to various agencies, a function traditionally reserved for the National Assembly and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

It was reported that Gbajabiamila had conducted oversight visits to several government bodies, including the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, Bureau of Public Procurement, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure.

Agbese initially remarked that such visits by the Chief of Staff did not conflict with the National Assembly’s mandate. He said, “What the Right Honourable Chief of Staff to Mr. President is doing is not in any way in conflict with our mandate as a Parliament. On our part, we encourage routine supervisory checks by members of the Executive in their duties over agencies and departments under their control.”

However, in a subsequent interview, Agbese clarified his position, stating, “I did not say that the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, Mr. Gbajabiamila, can oversee 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.”

He further explained that while Gbajabiamila, as a member of the executive, is free to visit government agencies, such visits cannot replace the oversight function of the National Assembly. “I told the press 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.