Is the National Assembly a rubber stamp legislature? Does it genuinely scrutinise executive decisions, or does it simply approve whatever comes from the presidency?

This debate has lingered since the inauguration of the 10th Assembly and the start of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The conversations became so intense that National Assembly spokesperson Akin Rotimi had to grant interviews to ‘dismiss’ these claims in 2024.

At the time, he had insisted that lawmakers carefully reviewed executive proposals before granting approval.

But the question has resurfaced, this time over the dubious and swift approval of Tinubu’s request for a State of Emergency.

In light of this, FIJ tracked cases where the Senate and House of Representatives had to decide on controversial executive requests. Of the 11 cases reviewed since 2023, lawmakers approved 10 without objection. Only one was rejected.

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2023 SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET

Shortly after his inauguration in 2023, Tinubu wrote to the National Assembly, seeking approval for a N2.17 trillion supplementary budget. The executive claimed the funds were needed to bolster security and implement capital projects.

But scrutiny soon followed. FIJ, for instance, flagged controversial allocations in the budget. For instance, there was a N5 billion allocation for a presidential yacht, N28 billion for the Villa renovation, and N1.5 billion for the First Lady’s office.

Despite these concerns, the National Assembly passed the budget unchanged in November 2023. The House of Representatives later claimed it had reallocated the yacht funds to student loans. FIJ, however, uncovered that the N5 billion remained intact, only renamed under a different budget item.

SPECIAL ADVISERS: IMMEDIATE APPROVAL

In June 2023, President Tinubu sent a list of 20 nominees for special adviser positions to the National Assembly. The lawmakers approved the request immediately, arguing that a swift confirmation was necessary for the President to assemble his team and begin work without delay.

THE $800 MILLION LOAN

In July 2023, Tinubu sought Senate approval for an $800 million World Bank loan. The loan had been initially requested by former president Muhammadu Buhari to fund the National Safety Net Programme. The Senate approved it without hesitation, greenlighting the loan that same month.

MINISTERIAL NOMINATIONS

On July 19, 2023 — 51 days after his swearing-in — Tinubu sent his first batch of ministerial nominees to the Senate. The list generated immediate controversy, with concerns over the qualifications and records of several nominees.

Yet, the Senate approved them with little scrutiny. Among them was Atiku Bagudu, now Minister of Budget and Planning. In 2021, Premium Times’ Pandora Papers investigation detailed Bagudu’s role in laundering over $163 million for the late General Sani Abacha.

Court documents in the US showed he confessed to financial mismanagement in 2003, after being detained in a federal prison in Houston, Texas. Despite this history, the Senate gave him the green light.

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ANOTHER LOAN

In November 2023, barely 24 hours after requesting approval for a N2.18 trillion supplementary budget, President Tinubu approached the Senate again to seek approval for a $7.8 billion and €100 million loan.

The request, contained in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was read during plenary. This came just months after Tinubu had sought approval for a N500 billion loan.

Days later, the Senate approved the request after adopting the report of its Committee on Local and Foreign Debt.

NIGER REPUBLIC INTERVENTION

In August 2023, Tinubu wrote to the Senate to approve a military intervention in Niger Republic following the coup that overthrew the country’s elected Head of State and executive government.

In the letter, Tinubu, who is also the chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said the move to deploy military force was part of the bloc’s conclusions at the meeting held on Sunday in Abuja.

ECOWAS had given Niger a week to reinstate ousted president Mohamed Bazoum or face harder sanctions. On August 5, the Senate rejected the proposal for military intervention and opted for further consideration.

WAYS AND MEANS

In 2023, President Tinubu wrote to the National Assembly, requesting approval for the securitisation of N7.3 trillion in outstanding Ways and Means.

Tinubu had written the Senate to act swiftly, seeking approval to convert the outstanding debit balance of N7.3 trillion in the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) into a structured repayment plan.

“In view of the foregoing, the Senate is invited to consider and approve securitization of the outstanding debit balance of N7.3 trillion in the CRF as of December 11, 2023,” his letter read.

The Senate granted approval in December 2023, effectively restructuring the debt.

SERVICE CHIEFS

In July 2023, Tinubu appointed a new set of service chiefs and sent the list to the Senate for confirmation. The lawmakers approved the nominations that same month without making any changes or recommendations to the list.

2024 BUDGET EXTENSION

In June 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wrote to the National Assembly, requesting an extension for the implementation of the 2023 Appropriation Act and its supplementary budget.

The request sought to prolong the lifespan of the N21.8 trillion 2023 budget and the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget, allowing them to run concurrently with the N27.5 trillion 2024 budget.

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Despite a previous decision by the Ahmed Lawan-led chambers to adhere to a January–December fiscal cycle, lawmakers approved Tinubu’s request. Essentially, the lawmakers approved the extension and reversed a previous decision that was meant to bolster fiscal health.

TAX REFORM BILLS

In October, Tinubu transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly, aiming to overhaul Nigeria’s tax framework. The Tax Reform Bills ended up being a controversial policy decision by the administration. The proposed laws were met with pushback from business groups and economic experts, who warned that certain provisions could stifle growth.

As a result, it caused the lawmakers to examine and scrutinise more thoroughly. Lawmakers engaged in lengthy debates, particularly on the proposed VAT increase, revenue-sharing adjustments and corporate tax revisions.

Public hearings saw stakeholders raising concerns over potential burdens on businesses and the informal sector.

Ultimately, the National Assembly rejected the VAT increase while making modifications to corporate and personal income tax rates.

RIVERS STATE EMERGENCY

On March 18, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following months of political tension. The president suspended the governor, his deputy and the state legislature while paving the way for a military administrator.

Legal experts and opposition lawmakers decried the move as unconstitutional, arguing that Section 305 of the Constitution does not empower the President to remove elected officials.

During House deliberations, an opposition lawmaker called for a headcount vote, as required for emergency declarations, but Speaker Tajudeen Abbas overruled the request, opting for a voice vote instead.

Despite these concerns, the National Assembly approved the emergency rule. This decision has been since challenged in court by civil rights groups and legal advocates.