The Senate on Thursday asked President Bola Tinubu to relieve the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Hussaini Magaji, of his duties over his alleged repeated refusal to appear before the Senate Committee on Finance.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu during a meeting between the committee and members of the President’s economic team.
Proceedings reportedly became tense when senators noticed that the CAC Registrar-General was absent despite being invited to explain issues relating to the commission’s revenue and financial records.
Presenting the motion, Kalu criticised what he described as consistent disregard for the Senate’s oversight role. He alleged that the CAC boss had repeatedly failed to honour invitations, often giving excuses or delegating junior officials to represent him.
According to Kalu, such conduct undermines the authority of the National Assembly, especially when key ministers honour similar summons. He insisted that the registrar-general must personally account for the commission’s financial activities, particularly concerning revenue reconciliation.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, backed the motion, citing unresolved discrepancies in the agency’s revenue records. He stressed that the Finance Committee is constitutionally empowered under Sections 88 and 89 to conduct oversight and compel attendance.
Musa expressed dissatisfaction that, despite multiple invitations, the CAC head had failed to appear, instead sending subordinate officers to address lawmakers — a move he said was unacceptable.
In a further escalation, Senator Adams Oshiomhole proposed that the Senate withhold approval of the CAC’s 2026 budget until the registrar-general personally appears to clarify outstanding financial concerns. He also suggested that the commission should not be allowed to spend its internally generated revenue without National Assembly approval.
The motion urging the President to remove the CAC Registrar-General was subsequently adopted through a voice vote.
The decision highlights the Senate’s renewed determination to enforce its constitutional oversight responsibilities, particularly over revenue-generating agencies.
The Corporate Affairs Commission, which oversees company incorporation and business registration in Nigeria, remains a significant contributor to the country’s non-oil revenue, placing transparency and accountability at the centre of its mandate.
