The House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and Other Higher Technical Education has expressed displeasure over the poor turnout of rectors at the 2026 budget defence session held on Friday, describing the development as disappointing and unacceptable.

Speaking at the opening session, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda, faulted the absence of 10 rectors out of the 14 federal polytechnics invited to appear before the Committee.

According to him, of the 36 federal polytechnics across the country, only 22 had submitted their budget reports as at the time of the exercise, a situation he described as worrisome and indicative of weak institutional compliance with legislative oversight requirements.

Out of the 14 invited institutions that had submitted reports, only four were represented at the session. Those present were the rectors of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and Federal Polytechnic Idah, Kogi State, as well as the bursars of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi and Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State.

Hon. Laguda noted that several of the absent rectors cited the forthcoming FCT election and the restriction of vehicular movement from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as reasons for their inability to attend. However, he stressed that such explanations were inadequate given the importance of the budget defence process.

According to him, “We invited 14 polytechnics here today; only four showed up. While some have cited the election taking place tomorrow in the FCT and the restriction on movement of vehicles from 8 p.m. till 6 a.m. as reasons, we believe institutions of this magnitude ought to plan better. These are national assignments, and attendance should not be treated lightly,” he stated.

The lawmaker pointed out that budget defence was a critical component of the National Assembly’s constitutional responsibility to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective utilisation of public funds. He warned that failure to honour such invitations undermines the seriousness of governance and institutional responsibility.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the session, the chairman announced that the Committee had no option but to adjourn the exercise to a later date due to the poor attendance.

According to him, “Due to logistics and administrative lapses, we will not be able to proceed with the four federal polytechnics present today, Nasarawa, Idah, Bauchi and Bali. We are adjourning and postponing their appearance until a new date, when we expect a fuller house. We hope that by then, all polytechnics would have complied with our request and will be present for proper engagement.”

However, despite the setback, the Committee received and adopted the report presented by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, as a working document to guide further deliberations.

Hon. Laguda, however, warned leadership across the federal polytechnics to sit up and demonstrate greater commitment to institutional development and accountability.

He stressed that the Committee’s oversight actions should not be misconstrued as punitive or adversarial.

“The House is not out to witch-hunt anyone. Our responsibility is to strengthen these institutions and ensure they are positioned to deliver on their mandate. Oversight is about improvement, not intimidation.”

The chairman underscored the urgent need for Nigeria’s polytechnic system to reclaim its pride of place as a hub for technical innovation, vocational excellence, and manpower development.

According to him, the country cannot achieve meaningful industrialisation, job creation, and economic diversification without a vibrant and properly managed technical education sector.

He urged rectors to refocus their leadership priorities toward restoring polytechnics to their “glory days,” when they were widely respected for producing highly skilled, technically competent, and industry-ready graduates.

According to him, “Our polytechnics must be repositioned to churn out employable graduates who can compete globally and meet the technological and industrial needs of Nigeria. Leadership at that level must reflect seriousness, planning, and strategic direction,” he said.

The Committee reiterated its commitment to working collaboratively with the institutions, the NBTE, and other relevant stakeholders to improve funding efficiency, infrastructural development, and academic standards within the polytechnic system.

A new date for the adjourned budget defence session is expected to be communicated in due course, with the Committee urging all affected institutions to ensure full compliance and presence when reconvened. (TRIBUNE)