Ita Enang
Ita Enang, former special adviser to ex-president Muhammadu Buhari on national assembly matters, says committees of the national assembly have been exceeding their oversight powers by delving into affairs of private companies.
Enang, who also served in both chambers of the legislature before becoming presidential liaison officer, said judicial pronouncements already limited the powers of lawmakers in this regard.
He spoke at the national assembly while delivering a lecture at a workshop organised by the senate press corps on the theme ‘Parliamentary reporting: Issues, challenges and responsibilities’.
Citing DHL International Nigeria Ltd v. Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2018), Enang recalled that Justice Ayokunle Faji ruled that private firms do not fall within the scope of sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 constitution, which empower the legislature to summon individuals or entities.
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He also pointed to the court of appeal judgment in NECA v. Attorney-General of the Federation, where Justice J.H. Sankey held that parliamentary oversight extends only to government bodies funded by public money, not to private companies.
“It is an abuse of power when committees descend into the arena of the executive or the private sector,” Enang said.
He aligned himself with a recent petition by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), which accused lawmakers of harassment through endless summons.
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Ifeanyi Okoye, NECA president, recently warned against what he described as the growing overreach of the national assembly into executive matters, saying the frequent summons of private businesses by lawmakers is unconstitutional and harmful to the business environment.
He said the incessant invitations extended to NECA member companies by several national assembly committees are unnecessary and costly.
Okoye said most of the issues being probed lie strictly within the jurisdiction of executive agencies.
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