The deputy spokesman of the House of Representatives emphasized that the former Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, cannot assume the oversight responsibilities of the federal parliament while serving as Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu. This statement came in response to a report that Gbajabiamila had been conducting oversight visits to various government agencies, a task typically reserved for the National Assembly and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Chief of Staff had visited several agencies, including the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, the Bureau of Public Procurement, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure. Despite media reports suggesting otherwise, the deputy spokesman clarified that Gbajabiamila’s visits were not in conflict with the parliament’s mandate. He highlighted the importance of executive members conducting routine checks on agencies under their purview to gather firsthand information and improve governance.
The deputy spokesman stressed that while Gbajabiamila could visit government agencies as part of the executive branch, such visits should not be equated to the oversight duties of the parliament as outlined in the Constitution. He underscored the distinctions between courtesy visits and official oversight responsibilities to avoid any constitutional conflicts.