The House of Representatives descended into chaos on Wednesday as lawmakers clashed over a motion to summon President Bola Tinubu over delays in budget implementation. Hon. Benedict Etanabene, representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie in Delta State, raised a point of privilege citing a June 29 circular from Accountant General Shamseldeen Ogunjimi directing all federal ministries, departments, and agencies to halt payments for constituency and Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIPs) until vetted by the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs. Etanabene argued the directive further obstructed the execution of the Appropriation Act, stating, "The budgets are not being implemented presently in Nigeria today. We are implementing the 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets concurrently. This is not in the best interest of everybody." He moved that the president be invited to brief the House on the circular and ongoing delays.
His motion sparked sharp division among lawmakers, leading to a rowdy session that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas struggled to contain. While some members backed the call to summon Tinubu, others opposed it, with Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, insisting that responsible budget officials—not the president—should be called. Gagdi was shouted down by colleagues who demanded he sit down. After order was restored, Hon. Alex Mascot moved a separate motion on urgent public importance, citing inadequate funding for security agencies and also calling for the president to appear before the House. Lawmakers supported this motion, but when put to a vote through a division, it was rejected. The Speaker referred the matter to an ad hoc committee to be constituted by the House. Since 2025, local contractors under the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) have protested over unpaid bills for completed federal projects, blocking the Ministry of Finance and National Assembly gates. In December 2025, Tinubu established a multi-ministerial committee to address the backlog, estimated at N1.5 trillion. By January, the Federal Government announced disbursements had begun for "verified contracts."
The same lawmakers who accepted the Speaker's authority to block debate on a point of privilege later voted to summon the president under a different motion, showing inconsistency in their application of procedure. Etanabene's claim that multiple budgets are being implemented at once remains unchallenged by colleagues despite its serious implication for fiscal planning. Contractors waiting for N1.5 trillion in verified payments have no clarity on whether the Ogunjimi circular accelerates or deepens their delays. The referral of the motion to an ad hoc committee, with no timeline given, extends uncertainty for both lawmakers and constituents awaiting project execution.
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