, potentially leaving the office with no budget allocation.){kind=link}
The Nigerian Senate has put on hold the 2025 budget defence for the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (OAGF), potentially leaving the office with no budget allocation.
This decision follows the Senate’s previously set deadline of January 22, 2025, for budget presentations. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmed Wadada, expressed disappointment with the performance of Auditor-General S.K. Chira and his team.
Chira appeared before the committee unprepared and failed to provide clear answers concerning the 2024 budget execution of his office.
Additionally, it was revealed that the budget documents Chira presented differed from those provided to the committee, sparking frustration among senators who found the lack of preparation unacceptable.
Despite the suspension, Senator Wadada suggested that the office still has an opportunity to resubmit its budget if it is adequately prepared.
He stated, “It is now the responsibility of the Auditor-General to get ready and return for review, even within a few hours, as Wednesday remains the final deadline.”
Wadada reiterated that the Senate Public Accounts Committee has the authority to scrutinize the Auditor-General’s office, highlighting the importance of thorough and transparent budget reviews.