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By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives descended into a heated and disorderly session on Wednesday after lawmakers clashed over a proposal to invite President Bola Tinubu to appear before the chamber and explain the persistent delays in implementing the 2025 budget.

The drama unfolded during consideration of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, who represents Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency of Abia State. The motion focused on what he described as the chronic underfunding of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and the slow release of funds already appropriated by the National Assembly.

Presenting the motion, Ikwechegh said disclosures by ministers and heads of MDAs during the ongoing 2026 budget defence sessions painted a worrying picture of poor budget implementation.

According to him, many agencies received little or no capital releases throughout the 2025 fiscal year, leaving critical projects abandoned across the country.

He also highlighted the plight of indigenous contractors, many of whom, he said, have been left on the verge of collapse after executing government contracts without payment.

The lawmaker recalled that President Tinubu had, during a Federal Executive Council meeting in December 2025, directed the immediate settlement of verified contractor debts estimated at about N1.5 trillion. However, he argued that despite the directive, approvals by the legislature and repeated assurances from the Ministry of Finance, many MDAs were yet to receive the funds required to meet their obligations.

Ikwechegh further expressed concern over a Treasury circular reportedly issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on 29 June 2026, suspending payments for zonal intervention and constituency projects pending verification by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.

While urging the House to commend the President for directing the payment of verified contractor liabilities, he also called for the immediate implementation of that directive.

The atmosphere in the chamber, however, changed dramatically when he proposed that President Tinubu be invited to address lawmakers over the continued delays.

“We want to use this opportunity to invite the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to this very hallowed chamber to come and explain to the Nigerian people why projects are not being implemented despite trillions of naira appropriated,” Ikwechegh said.

His proposal immediately split the House.
While some lawmakers backed the move, others argued that under the Constitution, the National Assembly should instead summon ministers and heads of agencies directly responsible for implementing the budget.

The debate became even more heated after Godwin Oga Amobi proposed an amendment seeking the postponement of the House’s planned Open Week to enable members concentrate on resolving the budget implementation crisis. The amendment was seconded by Sani Lawan.

Tempers flared further when Yusuf Gagdi opposed the call to invite the President, maintaining that executive responsibilities rest with ministers and heads of government agencies, who should be held accountable before Parliament.

He also urged the Speaker to divide the motion so lawmakers could vote separately on the contentious proposal to invite the President and the other resolutions contained in the motion.

His intervention sparked loud protests across the chamber, with members shouting over one another as both sides sought to make themselves heard.

Despite repeated appeals for calm, the chamber remained tense until Speaker Abbas restored order. He eventually ruled against dividing the motion for separate votes, insisting that the House would proceed in line with its established parliamentary procedures.

The Speaker Tajudeen Abbas insisted that Rep. Ikwechegh motion which was submitted didn’t have the prayer to invite President Bola Tinubu to the House. According to him, this act was against the House Rule 2023.

When put to a vote the House moved that the President should not appear.