Reps Committees clash over probe of REA

A dispute of jurisdiction has erupted within the House of Representatives, pitting the Committee on the National Rural Electrification Agency (REA) against the Committee on Renewable Energy.

At the heart of the confrontation is a high-stakes investigative hearing into renewable energy projects, foreign grants, and program implementation handled by the REA since 2015.

The conflict reached a boiling point after the REA Committee, led by Hon. Mohammed Bukar Ibrahim, formally moved to halt the ongoing probe by its counterpart.

In a letter dated February 25, 2026, Ibrahim argued that the investigation into the REA’s financing and project domiciliation falls squarely within his committee’s statutory oversight mandate.

He warned that parallel inquiries by the Renewable Energy Committee create avoidable administrative strain and duplication of legislative activity, urging the panel to stay proceedings and await the findings of his own comprehensive review.

However, the Committee on Renewable Energy, chaired by Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, has declined the request, describing the intervention as an ill-advised intrusion.

In a rebuttal dated February 26, Ogene insisted that his committee is acting on a direct resolution passed by the House on October 22, 2025.

He argued that the mandate specifically targets the domiciliation of Green Energy projects with inappropriate entities and the utilization of foreign grants, areas he maintains are under his jurisdiction according to the Standing Orders of the House.

Ogene further characterized the attempt to stall the hearing as a dangerous precedent.

"Such practices of rushing to shield MDAs from accountability on account of any considerations attracts disrespect to the institution of the Legislature and undermines the integrity of legislative processes," he stated.

He clarified that his committee is not conducting a fishing expedition into the REA’s general overhead or personnel costs, but is focused on a constitutional audit of renewable interventions, particularly the multi-billion naira Energizing Education Programme (EEP).

The EEP is a flagship initiative designed to provide sustainable solar hybrid power to federal universities and teaching hospitals across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

The standoff has sparked concerns among ranking lawmakers regarding institutional rivalry. While the REA Committee maintains that oversight of the agency belongs exclusively to them, the Renewable Energy Committee asserts that its mandate transcends specific agencies to cover the entire renewable energy sector across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

As both committees remain locked in this jurisdictional contest, the dispute has become a litmus test for parliamentary transparency.