THE House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character has warned of possible sanctions against the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, over what it described as his continued failure to honour legislative invitations.
During a meeting held yesterday at the National Assembly in Abuja, the committee, chaired by Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, also directed the immediate suspension of ongoing recruitment by the NRS.
Lawmakers warned that they could invoke Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, which empower the National Assembly to investigate government agencies and compel the appearance of public officials, if the NRS leadership continues to ignore its summons.
The committee said it had written to the NRS on July 15, 2026, requesting an updated nominal roll of the agency’s staff and inviting Dr. Adedeji to appear before it. However, the NRS chairman did not attend the meeting.
According to the lawmakers, the latest invitation followed several previous letters sent to the agency between October 2023 and April 2026, all of which were acknowledged but allegedly received no satisfactory response.
The committee also raised concerns over recruitment waivers reportedly granted to the NRS by the Federal Character Commission (FCC), despite an earlier directive instructing the commission not to approve such waivers.
FCC Chairman, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, was also absent from the meeting, citing official travel and illness.
The committee, however, described her repeated failure to honour invitations as unacceptable and inconsistent with the level of accountability expected from public office holders.
Lawmakers argued that granting recruitment waivers to the NRS without legislative clearance undermines the constitutional oversight responsibilities of the House of Representatives.
As a result, the committee instructed the FCC to halt all recruitment activities involving the NRS until both agencies appear before lawmakers to explain their actions and comply with the oversight process.
Hon. Wase stressed that no government agency or public official is above the Constitution, noting that the National Assembly’s oversight powers are mandatory and not optional.
The committee further warned that persistent refusal by public officials to honour legislative invitations weakens democratic accountability, erodes public confidence, and threatens Nigeria’s constitutional system of checks and balances.
It reaffirmed its commitment to using all constitutional and legislative measures available to ensure compliance with its directives.
Meanwhile, sources within the National Assembly suggested that the NRS chairman’s absence may be connected to concerns over previous recruitment exercises.
Earlier this year, reports alleged that the appointment of five of the six Executive Directors of the NRS breached provisions of the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, which requires appointments to reflect geopolitical representation and prohibits the Executive Chairman and an Executive Director from originating from the same state.
The appointments are currently being challenged in court by the Incorporated Trustees of Patriotic Youth Organisations of Nigeria, which is seeking to stop the affected officials from carrying out their duties pending the outcome of the case. .
The President, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the NRS have been listed as defendants in the suit.
