The Senate has stepped down a proposal seeking the establishment of an Internal Tender Board for the National Assembly, insisting that lawmakers must first receive comprehensive briefings on the legislature’s budget and financial management before considering procurement reforms.
The motion, sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), was withdrawn after several senators argued that the proposal was premature and that greater transparency in the National Assembly’s finances should take precedence.
Karimi had explained that the proposed Internal Tender Board was aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity of the National Assembly and reinforcing its financial autonomy. According to him, the board would be responsible for evaluating and approving procurement matters within approved budgetary provisions, while the Clerk to the National Assembly would constitute its membership.
However, lawmakers maintained that the Senate should first address existing concerns surrounding the management and oversight of its own budget.
Senator Adamu Aliero said the legislature was “putting the cart before the horse,” stressing that the establishment of a Budget and Research Office should come before any procurement reforms.
He lamented that many lawmakers were not adequately informed about the National Assembly’s budget, noting that members neither had access to the details nor the opportunity to scrutinise the legislature’s expenditure.
According to him, lawmakers should first understand how much funding the National Assembly receives and how the funds are allocated before introducing an Internal Tender Board.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also faulted the timing of the proposal, saying such an initiative should have been discussed with the Senate leadership and the Clerk to the National Assembly before being presented on the floor of the chamber.
Akpabio said the Senate must first resolve internal concerns over transparency and accountability in its financial management before introducing new procurement structures.
He emphasised that both chambers of the National Assembly should be fully informed about the legislature’s budget, including revenue inflows and expenditure, describing the motion as premature.
Following the debate, Akpabio advised Senator Karimi to withdraw the motion.
Karimi subsequently complied, and the Senate President officially ruled the motion withdrawn.
The decision effectively puts the proposed Internal Tender Board on hold, with the Senate leadership indicating that lawmakers would first receive detailed briefings on the National Assembly’s budget and financial operations before any procurement reform proposals are reconsidered.
The debate also highlighted growing concerns among senators over transparency in the management of the National Assembly’s finances, with several lawmakers acknowledging that members require greater access to information on budgetary allocations and expenditure.
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