Senate demands sack of CAC boss, over defiance of summons

The Senate Committee on Finance has called on President Bola Tinubu to dismiss Hussaini Magaji, the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), over what lawmakers described as his persistent refusal to honour invitations to appear before the panel.

The committee made the recommendation on Thursday, citing Magaji’s repeated absence from its sessions, where he was expected to provide explanations on the commission’s revenue profile and operational performance since taking office.

According to the lawmakers, despite several summons, the CAC boss has consistently failed to show up in person.

Sani Musa, the Committee Chairman, announced the resolution during a budget defence session attended by Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, who appeared before the panel to present their proposals for the 2026 fiscal year.

Other chief executives under the committee’s supervision, including representatives of the Nigeria Revenue Service, the Tax Ombudsman Office, the Nigerian Customs Service and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation were present at the hearing.

However, the CAC Registrar-General did not attend and instead delegated a subordinate officer to represent the commission.

The recommendation for Magaji’s removal was moved by Orji Kalu, representing Abia North.

The former Abia State governor expressed frustration over what he described as the registrar-general’s consistent disregard for the committee’s invitations.

Kalu argued that if cabinet ministers, who occupy higher constitutional offices, could respond to legislative summons, there was no justification for the CAC chief to repeatedly decline appearances.

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“This man is not above the law,” Kalu said during the session.

“The ministers of finance and budget are here because we invited them. Yet this registrar-general believes he is bigger than the Senate. That cannot continue.”

He further alleged that since his return to the Senate, the CAC head had never personally appeared before the committee, often citing official engagements or foreign trips as reasons for his absence.

Kalu therefore moved that the matter be formally reported to the President with a request for Magaji’s immediate removal.

The motion was put to a voice vote by the chairman, and the majority of members endorsed it. Musa subsequently directed that the resolution be transmitted to the appropriate authorities.

The chairman, who represents Niger East, also noted that the committee had unresolved concerns regarding the commission’s revenue reconciliation.

He criticised the practice of sending junior officials to respond to queries meant for the agency’s chief executive.

The Corporate Affairs Commission is responsible for the registration and regulation of companies, business names and incorporated trustees in Nigeria.

Created under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), the agency maintains the country’s official corporate registry and enforces compliance with statutory filing and disclosure requirements.

As custodian of Nigeria’s corporate records, the commission processes company incorporations, annual returns, changes in shareholding and directorship, and other post-incorporation filings. It also generates significant revenue for the federal government through registration and filing fees.

Given its regulatory and revenue-generating mandate, the CAC is subject to legislative oversight. Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empower the National Assembly to investigate the activities of any authority responsible for administering federal laws or disbursing public funds. Lawmakers may summon public officials to provide clarifications or produce documents in the exercise of this function.

However, while the legislature can pass resolutions recommending disciplinary measures, the authority to appoint or remove the head of an executive agency such as the CAC ultimately rests with the President, in line with the provisions of the enabling law