By Denis Matthew
The Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance on Monday, narrowly avoiding a formal recommendation for his dismissal.
The appearance follows a series of snubbed invitations that led lawmakers to threaten his removal for allegedly obstructing a legislative probe into the commission’s financial activities.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, opened the hearing with a stern rebuke of the CAC management team.
He reminded Magaji that the National Assembly derives its power to investigate Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) directly from the Constitution.
Musa, representing Niger North, disclosed that the committee had been prepared to petition the Presidency for Magaji’s sack, characterizing his repeated absence as a deliberate attempt to evade statutory oversight and transparency requirements.
During the proceedings, Magaji offered an unreserved apology to the panel, attributing his previous failures to appear to logistical constraints and official engagements in Lagos.
He admitted to a communication gap between the commission and the legislature, promising that internal measures are being implemented to ensure such lapses do not recur.
“I hold this Committee in the highest regard,” Magaji stated, explaining that he was unable to reach Abuja in time for the previous summons due to travel delays.
The tension was somewhat diffused by Senator Diket Plang of Plateau Central, who appealed to his colleagues to accept the Registrar General’s apology.
Plang urged the committee to grant the CAC leadership another opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to accountability.
Following the reconciliation, the committee resolved to proceed with its detailed examination of the CAC’s financial operations to ensure the agency remains in strict compliance with federal fiscal regulations.