The Senate Committee on Finance on Monday reversed its earlier decision to recommend the sack of the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Magaji (SAN), following his appearance before the panel and apology for failing to honour previous invitations.
The Committee, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger North), had last week threatened to advise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove Magaji from office over his failure to appear and account for the Commission’s 2025 budget performance and defend its 2026 budget proposal.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, Senator Musa reminded the Registrar-General and his management team that oversight and investigation of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) remain a constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly.
He said the Committee viewed Magaji’s repeated absence as a breach of constitutional provisions and an affront to parliamentary oversight.
“We resolved to send a memo to the Presidency recommending your removal from office because of your continued evasion of the Committee’s invitations,” Musa told the CAC boss.
Magaji, however, tendered an unreserved apology, explaining that his absence was not deliberate but due to circumstances beyond his control.
“Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the Committee, I hold the Committee in high regard, and my absence was due to circumstances beyond my control,” he said.
“I sincerely apologise for not responding to the summons. I was actually coming from Lagos, and I know it was late for me to meet up with the Senate invitation.
“I have a challenge in my office with the National Assembly with regards to a communication gap which we are trying to address,” he added.
Following his apology, some members of the Committee appealed for leniency.
Senator Diket Plang (APC, Plateau Central) urged the panel to grant the Registrar-General a second chance and accept his apology.
Similarly, former Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, supported the plea for forgiveness, though he cautioned that ignoring legislative summons should not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The Chairman subsequently put the matter to a voice vote after a motion was moved by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East) and seconded by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North).
The Committee unanimously approved the acceptance of the apology, effectively withdrawing its earlier threat to recommend his sack.
