By Chukwudi Obasi, Abuja
The House of Representatives was thrown into a chaotic and deeply divisive session on Wednesday as lawmakers clashed over a controversial motion seeking to summon President Bola Tinubu to explain persistent delays in budget implementation and the release of funds for constituency projects and government programmes.
The motion, sponsored by the member representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency of Abia State, Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, raised concerns about the slow pace of budget execution and the impact of delayed funding on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and constituency projects across the country.
Trouble started when one of the prayers in the motion sought to invite President Tinubu to appear before the House to explain the alleged non-release of funds and implementation bottlenecks affecting projects captured in the 2026 budget.
The proposal immediately split the chamber, triggering loud protests, shouting matches and repeated chants of “sit down, sit down” from lawmakers opposed to the move.
The tense atmosphere disrupted proceedings for nearly 30 minutes as members traded arguments over the constitutional propriety and political implications of summoning the President to the National Assembly.
The situation worsened after another lawmaker proposed that the House suspend plenary for one week to address the funding issues, a suggestion that further inflamed passions among members.
Leading opposition to the motion, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) argued that the President could not be held directly responsible for delays in implementing constituency projects, insisting that such responsibilities rest with the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
He also rejected the proposal to halt legislative activities, describing the suggestion as unnecessary and counterproductive.
His intervention sparked fresh exchanges across the aisle, with members shouting over one another as the chamber briefly descended into disorder.
Amid the growing tension, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, stepped in to restore order and subsequently subjected aspects of the motion to procedural scrutiny.
In his ruling, Abbas declared the prayer seeking to summon President Tinubu out of order, explaining that it was not contained in the original motion submitted to the House and therefore could not be entertained.
He further noted that the version read on the floor differed substantially from the text earlier approved for debate.
“The prayers contained in the motion as presented differ from those contained in the document originally submitted by the sponsor,” the Speaker ruled.
The ruling effectively killed the proposal and brought an end to one of the most contentious debates witnessed in the green chamber in recent months.
