The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has criticised the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, over his repeated failure to honour invitations to appear before the committee, warning that it could invoke its constitutional powers to compel his attendance if the trend continues.

The committee, chaired by Bamidele Salam, expressed its displeasure during a recent sitting, describing the Accountant-General's repeated absences as a setback to the National Assembly's constitutional responsibility of ensuring accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.

According to the committee, several invitations had been extended to the Office of the Accountant-General requesting the submission of financial records and explanations on issues under investigation.

However, the lawmakers said the AGF had failed to appear or provide satisfactory responses. Salam stressed that the Office of the Accountant-General occupies a critical position in Nigeria's public financial management system and is expected to cooperate fully with legislative oversight.

He warned that continued disregard for the committee's invitations could undermine public confidence in the country's financial accountability framework.

The committee subsequently issued what it described as a final invitation to the Accountant-General, directing him to appear before the panel on July 13, 2026, to provide the required documents and respond to questions relating to the committee's ongoing review.

Lawmakers also raised concerns over what they described as delays in rendering statutory financial accounts and preparing consolidated financial statements, noting that such lapses could hinder effective oversight of government expenditure.

In addition to the Accountant-General, the committee summoned six Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) whose chief accounting officers have also failed to honour previous invitations.

The affected agencies include the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.

The committee warned that if the affected officials fail to comply with the latest summons, it would invoke the constitutional powers vested in the House of Representatives to compel their appearance, stressing that no public official is exempt from legislative oversight.

The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources, emphasizing that all government institutions must remain answerable to the Nigerian people through the National Assembly.