Akpabio calls on lawmakers to defend Nigeria’s public funds

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged members of the National Assembly to remain committed to protecting public funds, saying lawmakers have a duty to guard Nigeria’s public purse. Akpabio made the call on Monday at the 2026 Capacity-Building Workshop organised by the Senate Press Corps. He was represented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu.

The workshop focused on legislative oversight, media collaboration and the prevention of unlawful insertions into the national budget. Its theme was “Leveraging Legislative Oversight and Media Collaboration to Safeguard the National Budget from Unlawful Insertions.” Akpabio said the subject was central to representative government. He said Parliament should protect public resources while the press should provide citizens with a clear account of how public authority was being exercised.

He also urged parliamentary reporters to understand the Constitution and the rules governing the Senate. According to him, journalists must balance the demand for immediate reports with the need to verify information and correct errors. Akpabio warned against presenting unverified claims as established facts, while saying that exposing wrongdoing could serve the public interest.

He argued that Nigeria needed reporting capable of withstanding scrutiny, particularly amid hardship and disagreement. The workshop brought together officials and civil society representatives involved in budget accountability. Participants included Budget and Economic Planning Minister Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, BudgIT Director Oluseun Onigbinde, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre Executive Director Auwal Musa Rafsanjani and Eagle Times Newspaper Publisher Ikechukwu Chukwunyere.

Their presentations addressed budget implementation, oversight, media reporting and the management of public resources.