N’Assembly lacks power to regulate telecom operators — Lawyer

A lawyer, Sesan Bankole, has stated that the National Assembly does not possess the authority to regulate telecommunications operators or impose sanctions on them. He claims that these responsibilities are the responsibility of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Bankole's statement follows a dispute between the House of Representatives and telecommunications operators regarding subpar network performance.

The lawmakers had threatened to issue arrest warrants against the CEOs of significant telecom firms who did not appear personally before a committee investigating service delivery. The committee subsequently gave the executives until November 4, 2026, to appear, threatening arrest if they failed to comply. Bankole emphasized that the National Assembly could invite telecom companies to offer information in the public interest, but they must adhere to constitutional constraints.

He reiterated that Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution only empowers the National Assembly to conduct investigations for creating or amending laws and examining the conduct of authorities responsible for managing funds appropriated by the legislature. Such investigations should not extend beyond these domains. Bankole also referenced the landmark case of Senate of the National Assembly v.

Tony Momoh (1981), arguing that legislative investigations must be connected to constitutionally permitted purposes. He questioned the committee's insistence that the executives must appear personally, stating that the Companies and Allied Matters Act permits a private company to be represented by an authorized representative. Furthermore, Bankole contended that the summonses are "sub judice," meaning that a related lawsuit filed by ALTON in 2018 is still pending in court.