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By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on Wednesday blocked an attempt by opposition lawmakers to introduce a fresh prayer seeking to summon President Bola Tinubu before the House over delays in releasing funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the implementation of the 2025 budget.

The move came during debate on a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Rep. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh on the “Urgent need to address the poor funding of appropriated budgets and delayed releases to MDAs as revealed during the 2026 budget defence sessions.”

Although Ikwechegh had submitted a motion containing five prayers to the Speaker in line with the House Standing Orders, he introduced an additional prayer while presenting it on the floor, calling for President Tinubu to be invited to explain why appropriated funds had not been released for budget implementation.

The unexpected addition immediately drew objections, as Rep. Yusuf Gagdi moved to amend the proposal, arguing that rather than inviting the President, the House should summon the government officials directly responsible for managing the country’s finances.

His intervention was met with loud protests from some opposition lawmakers, prompting Speaker Abbas to intervene.

The Speaker ruled that the request to invite the President can not be entertained because it was never part of the motion formally submitted to the Chair.

Rebuking Ikwechegh, Abbas said:
“Hon. Mascot, you gave me a copy of your motion and what is contained on prayer five is that an ad hoc committee should be constituted to interact with the relevant agencies. So, it is wrong for you to attempt to bring in what is not contained here.

“Honourable colleagues, what Hon. Mascot read was a complete deviation from the motion he presented to me. Hon. Mascot, kindly bring out the motion you read out and let us see where the prayer to invite the president was included.”

The Speaker warned lawmakers against attempting to introduce new prayers after a motion had already been submitted for consideration.

“You cannot ambush the House. Bringing in extraneous materials into a duly submitted motion is not allowed. Hon. Mascot, honour begets honour and we should not be mischievous about what we do here,” Abbas cautioned.

Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu also cited the House Standing Orders, reminding members that lawmakers can not disregard the very rules they enacted.

He urged members to conduct themselves in a manner befitting legislators, stressing that adherence to parliamentary procedure was essential to preserving the integrity of the House.

Following the rulings, Speaker Abbas put the motion to a voice vote, and it was adopted without the controversial prayer seeking the President’s appearance.

Earlier, while moving the motion, Ikwechegh argued that the slow release of appropriated funds had severely undermined implementation of the national budget.

He said: “House notes that Sections 80 and 81 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) vest the power of appropriation in the National Assembly, and that the credibility of the budget rests not on the size of the figures appropriated but on the fidelity and timeliness with which appropriated funds are released, cash-backed and utilised by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs);

“Also notes that during the 2026 budget defence sessions, Honourable Ministers and heads of MDAs disclosed deeply troubling levels of funding of the 2025 budget, including sectors that recorded zero capital releases for the entire fiscal year and others that received only token fractions of their appropriated capital votes;

“Aware that these disclosures are consistent with the repeated protests staged in 2025 and early 2026 by indigenous contractors at the Federal Ministry of Finance and the gates of the National Assembly, on one occasion disrupting plenary sittings, over unpaid certificates for completed and verified projects, with many contractors unable to service bank loans obtained to execute government projects.

“Also aware that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at the Federal Executive Council meeting of 10 December 2025, expressed grave displeasure at the backlog, directed the immediate settlement of verified contractor liabilities of about One Point Five Trillion Naira, and constituted an inter-ministerial committee to harmonise records and deliver a lasting funding solution, declaring the readiness of government to borrow, if necessary, to settle verified obligations.

“Further aware that in furtherance of that directive, the National Assembly approved borrowing in excess of One Trillion Naira specifically to finance the settlement of outstanding obligations on completed and verified capital projects, in addition to dedicated provisions in the 2026 Appropriation Act for contractor liabilities, while the Honourable Ministers of Finance have announced the clearance of substantial sums, announcements which contractors dispute as partial.

“Concerned that notwithstanding the clear directive of Mr President, the legislative approvals and the ministerial assurances, releases to MDAs remain slow and uneven, stalling critical projects, escalating contract costs, exposing contractors to insolvency and rising non-performing loans, and eroding public trust in the budget.

“Disturbed by recent newspaper reportage of a Federal Treasury Circular dated 29 June 2026, issued by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, halting payments for Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects unless a Certificate of Verification and Compliance is first obtained from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, a directive which, however well intentioned, introduces yet another layer of bureaucratic clearance at the very moment Mr President has demanded speed, and risks turning back the hands of the clock by subjecting duly appropriated, procured and executed projects to further delay.”

He urged the House to adopt a series of resolutions, saying:
“Accordingly resolves to: Commend Mr President for his directive on the immediate settlement of verified contractor liabilities, and urge its full, faithful and speedy implementation by all fiscal authorities;

“Urge the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria to prioritise the timely release and cash backing of appropriated funds, publish a clear schedule of releases for the 2026 fiscal year, and conclude the verification and settlement of all outstanding contractor liabilities within a defined and publicly communicated timeframe;

“Call on the fiscal authorities to apply the proceeds of the borrowing in excess of One Trillion Naira approved by the National Assembly strictly and expeditiously to the settlement of outstanding capital project obligations, and to render an account of such application to the National Assembly;

“Further urge the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to urgently review the Federal Treasury Circular of 29 June 2026 and harmonise it with the directive of Mr President, by prescribing strict and short timelines for the issuance of the Certificate of Verification and Compliance, so that an accountability measure is not converted into an instrument of further delay, and invite the Accountant General of the Federation and the Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs to brief the relevant Committees on the circular;

“Constitute an Ad Hoc Committee to interface with the relevant fiscal authorities on the state of releases, the settlement of contractor liabilities and the utilisation of approved borrowings, and report back to the House within four (4) weeks for further legislative action, comprising the Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, as Chairman, and the following as Members: the Chief Whip of the House; the Minority Whip; the Chairman, Committee on Finance; the Chairman, Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management; the Chairman, Committee on Budget and National Planning; the Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts; the Chairman, Committee on Constituency Projects; and any other Member as may be approved by the Rt. Hon. Speaker.”

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday declared that the ongoing transformation of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is a reflection of his administration’s broader vision for Nigeria, promising sustained investments in cities, satellite towns and rural communities to deliver the dividends of good governance across the country.

The President made the declaration while commissioning Collector Road C01 and a bridge linking the Body of Benchers, Nile University and Baze University in Abuja’s Institution and Research District, describing the project as another fulfilled promise under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu said the completion of the road underscored his administration’s commitment to translating campaign promises into tangible projects.

“When we came into office, we made a solemn pledge to the Nigerian people. We promised not to allow governance to become a series of abandoned dreams and half-hearted efforts. We promised Renewed Hope.

“And today, as we stand on this newly constructed Collector Road C01, complete with its bridge, we are not just looking at the physical road; we are looking at a promise kept,” the President said.

He disclosed that the extension of the corridor toward RR III and other parts of Abuja had already been flagged off, adding that the project would integrate the Institution and Research District into the capital city’s wider road network.

According to him, the expanded connectivity will reduce travel time, eliminate traffic bottlenecks and strengthen links between educational institutions, residential communities and commercial centres.

“One road becomes a system. That is how connectivity scales,” he said.

Tinubu noted that the Institution and Research District was conceived in the Abuja Master Plan as the intellectual hub of the nation’s capital but had suffered years of infrastructure deficits that hampered access to key institutions, including the Body of Benchers, Nile University and Baze University.

Recalling complaints raised by the Body of Benchers during the Nigerian Law School Call to Bar ceremony last year, the President said his administration responded swiftly by approving the project through emergency procurement.

“When the Body of Benchers cried out to us during the Nigeria Law School Call to Bar ceremony last year for relief from traffic gridlock and lack of access, we listened.

“I told my Minister, the ‘Mr. Project’ of our time, Nyesom Wike, ‘We cannot have the legal luminaries of our nation navigating potholes to train our future advocates. We cannot have students arriving late to lectures because of a lack of a simple bridge.’

“We did not just talk about it. We approved it under emergency procurement. And today, just months later, here we are,” he said.

Tinubu said the project had restored ease of movement, improved safety and created a more conducive environment for academic and professional institutions to flourish.

He added that the construction had generated hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, describing infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth.

“Infrastructure is the greatest enabler of economic prosperity. When you build roads, you open up districts. When you open up districts, you invite investment. And when investment comes, Nigeria grows,” he said.

The President commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for what he described as his commitment to delivering projects across the territory.

“You have proven once again that when you are given a job, you do not sleep until it is done. This marathon of project commissioning across the FCT is a clear testament that this administration is firmly in action mode,” he said.

Tinubu urged the management, students and staff of Nile University and Baze University, as well as the Body of Benchers and residents of the district, to protect the infrastructure.

“This road belongs to you. Protect it. Cherish it. Let it serve as a daily reminder that your government believes in your future and is committed to building the infrastructure that will carry your dreams forward,” he said.

He reaffirmed that the administration would continue investing in infrastructure nationwide.

“This administration will not stop. We will continue to invest in our cities, our satellite towns and our rural communities because every Nigerian deserves the dividends of good governance.

“The transformation of Abuja is a microcosm of the transformation we are bringing to the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Tinubu added.

Earlier, FCT Minister Barr Nyesom Wike thanked the President for the support that has enabled the FCT Administration to execute multiple infrastructure projects across the territory.

He attributed the rapid pace of project delivery to Tinubu’s decision to remove the FCT Administration from the Treasury Single Account (TSA), thereby improving access to resources.

“We thank you for your support. We thank you for the resources made available by removing us from the TSA. That’s why today we are having so many projects to be commissioned,” Wike said.

The minister noted that the road project was part of the administration’s commitment to ensuring balanced infrastructure development across all districts of the Federal Capital Territory.

“Every district will receive the attention of the present government. We have gone round so many districts, both in the city and the satellite towns. Today, we are here to commission this important project,” he said.

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Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, wife of ex- Kaduna State Governor, has told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that her husband does not deserve the treatment he is currently receiving.

Recalling the role he played in the buildup to the 2023 presidential election, the politician’s wife demanded fair treatment for the former governor.

Hajia Asiya, who was flanked by El-Rufai’s other wife, Aichatou, was reacting to the arrest of her husband’s personnel physician, Prof Bello Abubakar, as confirmed by the ICPC on Tuesday.

The wife also alleged that her husband, who she said was diagnosed of High Blood Pressure and High Blood Sugar level, was denied access to medical treatment.

Speaking with newsmen at her residence in Abuja, Asiya El-Rufai said the family was not asking the President to interfere with the judicial process or halt the prosecution of El-Rufai, but to ensure that he enjoys the constitutional rights available to every Nigerian, including access to medical care, family members, lawyers and bail on reasonable terms.

“Mr. President Sir, I campaigned for you. I stood up and went to every nook and cranny of Kaduna State for you. My husband stood by your side. Is this what our family deserves?” she asked.

“The ball is in your court, Mr. President. All these can stop if you say a word. We believe that you are a father and we know you can empathise.

“Please let him go free. I am not asking you to tell them not to prosecute him, but we are asking you to allow him the basic human rights that the Constitution you swore to uphold and defend guarantees. Let them give him the bail that he can afford. If he is guilty, let the court decide; if he is innocent, let the court decide.”

She alleged that El-Rufai’s continued detention and denial of access to his doctors and relatives had left the family traumatised.

“We, the family, are traumatised. We live in constant fear that we will wake up and hear some bad news,” she said.

Describing the situation as psychological pressure on both her husband and the family, she added: “I honestly think that what they are doing is more about psychological warfare against Malam and against his family. If they humiliate us, dehumanise us and put us in constant fear, they feel that affects Malam.”

Asiya also questioned the reported decision to deny El-Rufai’s personal physician access to him.

“We were told that orders from ‘above’ said Professor Bello Abubakar cannot have access to anybody for 24 hours. Who is the ‘above’?” she asked.

She further alleged that El-Rufai had been denied regular access to his personal doctors, while visits by relatives had become increasingly restricted.

The woman also expressed concern over a medical report purportedly issued by the National Hospital, Abuja, saying questions surrounding the document’s authenticity and the circumstances under which it was issued should be properly investigated through the consultant whose name appeared on it.

According to the family, the restrictions have made it difficult for the former governor to adequately prepare his defence.

“We do not shy away from defending ourselves, but we want a fair trial. We want an opportunity to be heard. Malam cannot adequately prepare for his defence while he remains in custody and has limited access to his lawyers.”

“We are only asking that he be given the basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Let him be granted bail on reasonable terms. If he is guilty, let the court decide. If he is innocent, let the court also decide,” she said.