RURAL ELECTRIFICATION BOSS REA GETS 48-HOUR ULTIMATUM: APPEAR OR FACE ARREST
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS-‘THE House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy has given the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) boss, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP) head, Olufemi Akinyelure, a 48-hour ultimatum to appear before the panel.
Key Issues:
– _”The committee would invoke its constitutional powers to enforce attendance.”_ – Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, Committee Chairman
– Reason for Summon: The committee is investigating grants, loans, and investments in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector between 2015 and 2024.
– _”The agency leadership’s persistent non-compliance with official invitations.”_ – Hon. Afam Victor Ogene
– Deadline: The officials must appear on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 2 p.m. or face arrest.
– _”If the officials fail to appear… the committee would invoke its constitutional powers to enforce attendance.”
“The MD of the Rural Electrification Agency, despite his subterfuge to avoid appearing before this committee, will not get away with it lightly,” Ogene said.
He added, “The Constitution is quite clear that this committee of the House of Representatives has the power to compel appearance.
“However, in the spirit of magnanimity, we are issuing a last and final invitation for them to appear on Thursday, the 5th day of March 2026, at 2 p.m. Failing which, this committee will have no other option but to issue a warrant of arrest.”
Ogene explained that the probe is part of the National Assembly’s constitutional mandate to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public and donor funds, particularly in a sector critical to rural development and national economic growth.
In the mean time, a jurisdictional dispute has emerged within the House over which committee has primary oversight responsibility for the REA.
In a letter dated February 27, 2026, the Chairman of the House Committee on National Rural Electrification Agency, Hon. Muhammad Ibrahim Bukar, said that his panel is the duly constituted Standing Committee of the House of Representatives vested with primary oversight over the REA, including its financial operations, utilisation of grants and loans, project implementation activities, and institutional performance.
It noted that while the Committee on Renewable Energy oversees broad sectoral policies, operational, financial, and administrative matters of the REA, including project domiciliation, grant utilization, and deployment of renewable energy projects, fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of Bukar’s committee.
He directed the agency to channel all legislative matters strictly through his committee, refrain from parallel correspondence with other panels on REA-specific issues, and formally refer any communications from other committees touching on REA operations for proper coordination.
It warned that attempts to conduct parallel inquiries could undermine institutional order and create unnecessary friction, highlighting that the current House committee structure, with over 120 specialized panels, was designed to avoid overlapping responsibilities
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