The Senate on Thursday turned down a motion to change how contracts are evaluated and awarded in the National Assembly. This is meant to align with procurement rules and the approved budget.
The upper chamber made this decision after most senators rejected the proposal during the plenary session.
The motion was brought forward by Sunday Karimi, the Chairman of the Senate Services Committee from Kogi West. It was set aside after lawmakers said the Senate leaders should first address the issues raised and find a clear stance before discussing it publicly.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said lawmakers needed to study the National Assembly budget properly. They should understand the funds allocated for different projects and what they cover before looking at performance or changing the procurement process.
"We should start with ourselves, and we should get the two chambers to know exactly what is going on. We should also debate and understand the budget. We should know how much is coming, what is going where and what is going where. This motion is premature," he said.
While presenting the motion, Mr Karimi said a review of the procurement process would strengthen the National Assembly's autonomy as the Constitution guarantees.
He suggested creating an Internal Tenders Board for the National Assembly. This board would evaluate, consider, and approve procurement matters and contract awards within the budget set for the legislature and its related agencies.
He said the board would operate on behalf of the National Assembly management within approved budgets and follow existing financial rules and procurement guidelines.
Mr Karimi also called on the Senate to ask the Clerk to the National Assembly to quickly form the board and provide guidelines for how it should work.
Most senators, however, were against the proposal.
Adamu Aliero from Kebbi Central said lawmakers should focus on setting up a Budget and Research Office instead of creating another body to manage contract awards.
"Two of the problems that we have in the National Assembly regarding the management of finances and the budget do not solely lie in the process of procurement. The problem has been that the National Assembly has not set up a Budget and Research Office," he said.
Mr Aliero, who is a former governor of Kebbi State, complained that senators often do not know the details of the National Assembly budget.
"What is happening today is that we don’t even know, and we don’t even see the budget of the National Assembly being presented here so that we can interrogate and understand the lines of expenditure.
"My opinion is that the senator should step down on this motion. Let us get the house right first before we talk about the issues that the Distinguished Senator Karimi is raising," he stated.
After this, Mr Akpabio said the sponsor should have talked to him, the Clerk to the National Assembly, and other key officers before bringing the motion.
"Senator Karimi, you should have discussed this even with me in the presence of the Clerk to the National Assembly and the principal officers of management so that I get clearance on what you are coming up with," Mr Akpabio said.
He then asked Mr Karimi to withdraw the motion, which the Kogi West senator agreed to do.
This motion came less than a day after Mr Akpabio threatened to take action against the contractor who worked on the renovation of the National Assembly chambers. This followed ongoing technical issues with the newly installed audio system.
During the plenary on Wednesday, microphones malfunctioned, causing echoes and unclear sound. The Senate president stated that the contractor responsible for the project would be held accountable.
Nigerians have been criticizing the National Assembly’s contract management and procurement system, especially with worries about the quality of projects done despite large budget allocations.
Critics have raised questions about the fairness of contract awards, project oversight, value for money, and how contractors are held accountable when projects do not meet expected standards.
The National Assembly has also faced scrutiny over the years for keeping its budget and procurement processes secret. Unlike many government bodies, the legislature’s spending, contract awards, and project execution do not get much public scrutiny. This makes it hard to know if public funds are being used effectively.
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