Minority Caucus Faults House Spokesman Over Insecurity, Budget Implementation, Demands Public Apology

By Tony Okafor 

The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has expressed concern over a statement credited to the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, accusing him of misrepresenting the position of the House in his response to issues earlier raised by opposition lawmakers on insecurity and hardship in the country.

In a statement signed by Hon. Afam Victor Ogene on behalf of the Caucus, the lawmakers said the Spokesman had purported to speak for the entire House without any formal resolution backing such a claim, describing the action as procedurally improper and misleading.

They stressed that Parliament has a constitutional duty to hold the Executive accountable, recalling that the current President had previously stated while in opposition that “the buck stops at the President’s table,” a position they said remains valid and binding on governance.

The Caucus maintained that the legislature must not shirk its oversight responsibility, warning that democracy suffers when Parliament is seen to act as an extension of the Executive.

It accused the House Spokesman of defending the Executive rather than addressing the substantive concerns raised by lawmakers over worsening insecurity and economic hardship, insisting that Parliament “is not, and will never be, a lapdog of the Executive.”

It further faulted the use of the phrase “House Notes” in the Spokesman’s statement, describing it as improper, misleading, and a breach of collective parliamentary privilege.

According to the Minority Caucus, the last sitting of the House was held on Monday, June 15, 2026, and no subsequent plenary session or resolution had been convened to authorize any collective position on the matter raised.

The lawmakers added that while the House Spokesman may speak for the Speaker or Majority leadership, he does not have the mandate to ascribe statements to the entire House or misrepresent the position of the Minority Caucus.

They said such conduct constitutes a violation of established parliamentary procedure and undermines the rights and privileges of members of the 10th House of Representatives.

The Caucus also renewed concerns over what it described as poor implementation of the national budget, particularly in the security sector, alleging that defence-related ministries, departments, and agencies have recorded less than 30 percent budget performance since 2024.

It argued that the situation has contributed to operational challenges, non-payment of contractors, breakdown of logistics, and worsening insecurity across the country, warning that the Armed Forces cannot effectively prosecute counter-insurgency operations under such fiscal constraints.

At an emergency virtual meeting held on Friday, June 19, 2026, the Minority Caucus unanimously resolved to demand a public apology from the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs over what it described as misrepresentation of the House and contempt of the Caucus, warning that failure to comply within 72 hours would lead to a petition to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

The Caucus also resolved to formally raise the issue of budget implementation upon resumption of plenary, insisting that the National Assembly must not abdicate its constitutional oversight functions.

The Minority Caucus reaffirmed its commitment to continue speaking out on behalf of Nigerians, stating that Parliament remains central to democratic accountability. It added that if the Majority Caucus chooses to overlook its constitutional responsibilities, the Minority Caucus would not relent in its duty to the Nigerian people.