By Our Correspondent
National News – A transparency dispute has emerged between Nigeria’s National Assembly and civil society organisation AdvoKC Foundation over the disclosure of legislative spending estimated at N344.85bn.
The disagreement follows a Freedom of Information request demanding detailed records of the National Assembly’s budget allocations and how the funds were utilised.
AdvoKC Foundation had earlier submitted a request dated January 8, 2026, seeking comprehensive financial details covering the 2023 and 2024 National Assembly budgets.
The group also demanded records of legislative performance, including data from both chambers — the Senate and the House of Representatives.
In a response dated March 2, 2026, the National Assembly’s Legal Services Directorate, acting on behalf of the Clerk, released limited information.
The letter disclosed that the Senate held 81 plenary sittings and one joint sitting between June 4, 2024, and May 28, 2025.
The joint session was reportedly convened on December 18, 2024, for the presentation of the national budget.
However, AdvoKC Foundation described the response as incomplete and selective.
According to the organisation, the National Assembly avoided providing the most critical details — the breakdown of the N344.85bn allocation and how the funds were spent.
The group’s communications director, Luqman Adamu, said the information released focused only on Senate sittings while ignoring budget performance and financial transparency.
He noted that no details were provided about the House of Representatives or the utilisation of public funds.
Project Director Habib Sheidu argued that transparency requires full disclosure rather than partial information.
He stressed that Nigerians deserve to know whether the reported legislative activities justify the huge allocation received by the National Assembly.
AdvoKC Foundation has already filed a case at the Federal High Court seeking full disclosure of the legislature’s spending records.
The group insists that the Freedom of Information Act empowers citizens to demand accountability from public institutions.
Despite the limited response from the National Assembly, the organisation confirmed it will continue pursuing legal action until complete financial records and budget performance reports are released to the public.
Civil society groups have long raised concerns about transparency in the National Assembly’s finances, describing the legislature’s spending as one of the least transparent areas of Nigeria’s governance system.
