Politics
Lawmaker Blames CSOs On Ineffectiveness Of FOI Act
A member of the Federal House of Representatives, Mr Gabriel Onyenweife has blamed Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for the ineffectiveness of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
Onyenweife (PDP) who represents Oyi/Anyamelum Federal Constituency disclosed this yesterday in Enugu during a capacity building workshop for members of the 9th National Assembly.
The workshop was organised by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) with support from MacArthur Foundation.
The former Chairman, House Committee on FOI and Reform of Government Institutions, said that the CSOs had failed to match the vigour they showed prior to the passage of the law in its implementation.
He said that Section 28 of the FOI Act 2011 mandated government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to make yearly returns to the office of the Attorney -General of the Federation on the level of compliance.
He said that it was sad that such were not coming and the CSOs appeared not to be enlightening the masses on the FOI Act.
“As we are talking, we have over 800 government ministries and agencies but we do not have up to 10 per cent agencies that comply with the returns that they are supposed to do.
“Theses returns are on the request of individuals, societies and organisations pertaining to information of the activities of these MDAs as solicited from members of the public,” he said.
Onyenweife said that the CSOs that were expected to mobilise and enlighten the masses on the FOI Act had abdicated their duties.
He said that the CSOs had failed to liaise with the legislators on the matter, adding that only two petitions on nondisclosure of information had been received in the last five years.
“How does the NASS become aware of denial of information by the MDAs when the people do not write petitions on nondisclosure of information.
“Prior to the passage of the bill, the CSOs were all over the place making noise, demonstrating and protesting. To what extent have they organised workshops to mobilise the masses after the passage.
“The CSOs did their functions prior to the passage but after the passage, how many of them have liaised with the NASS on the implementation,” Onyenweife said.
However, the Programme Manager, Democratic Governance, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr Okeke Anya, said that the MDAs had been in breach of FOI Act.
Anya said that the enlightenment campaigns on the law were needed to be the exclusive preserve of government institutions.
“We are not part of government and can only act based on available resources. Governments institutions have budgetary allocations while we depend on donor support,” he said.
He said that the FOI Act regime came into place due to the activities of the CSOs but regretted that the government was frustrating its implementation.
“We have been talking to Nigerian citizens on the law but the MDAs are frustrating its implementation,” Anya said.
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
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