Isaac Samuel
Tension nearly boiled over in the House of Representatives in the last two weeks as lawmakers expressed their frustration over the delayed implementation of capital projects under the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
Contractors had for the past days protested at the National Assembly over an alleged N3tn debt owed to them by the Federal Government.
During the demonstration, the local contractors brought vehicular movement to a halt from the Assembly gate through the Federal Secretariat axis in Abuja, forcing lawmakers, staff and visitors to seek alternative access routes.
Plenary and committee activities were also affected, with some legislators kept outside the premises.
Sources told this medium that during the first week, the leadership of the House, led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu in the absence of Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, held intensive closed-door sessions to calm lawmakers.
The closed-door meetings, which lasted several hours, were aimed at preventing an open confrontation while addressing grievances over stalled projects and unpaid contractors.
Lawmakers had reportedly considered halting all legislative business until concrete steps were taken to release funds for 2024 projects and issue warrants for the commencement of 2025 projects.
However, the Deputy Speaker appealed to members to reconvene, stressing that the frustration was with administrative delays in ministries and agencies rather than the President.
The standoff came amid President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request for N1.15 trillion in domestic borrowing to cover the deficit in the 2025 budget.
This followed the approval of a $2.35 billion external loan just two weeks earlier.
Lawmakers had insisted that new loans must translate into visible project delivery, reflecting widespread concern over stalled constituency projects.
It was learnt that first-term lawmakers, in particular, feared losing constituents’ confidence due to unfinished projects, escalating pressure on the leadership to act decisively.
It was gathered that the development formed part of discussions during two closed-door sessions held during a plenary session on November 5.
After spending almost an hour in the closed-door session, some lawmakers had left the green chamber without adjourning or making any formal communication on the outcome of their deliberations.
But they later recovened.
It was gathered that during the closed door session, the lawmakers lamented the delays in the implementation of the capital aspects of the 2024 and 2025 budgets have affected their ability to show progress in their communities.
The members, according to a lawmaker, had initially resolved to halt all legislative activities until concrete steps were taken to release outstanding funds for 2024 capital projects and issue warrants for the commencement of 2025 project execution.
The deputy speaker, who presided over the session in the absence of Speaker Abbas Tajudeen who went to China for official engagement appealed to lawmakers to return to plenary.
The lawmakers reportedly decided to reconvene “out of respect” for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the understanding that the grievances were directed at administrative delays within ministries and agencies, rather than at the President himself.
A lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “The frustration is real. Contractors are unpaid, local projects are stalled, and the economic impact is felt across constituencies. The leadership’s intervention ensured we avoided an outright revolt.
The source added, “The leadership acted quickly to calm the House. They told us the problem was with ministries and agencies, not the President. If they had not intervened, some members were ready to halt all proceedings, and the situation could have turned chaotic.”
It was learnt that at the speaker at the first plenary session held after he came back from his official trip in China, also appealed to the lawmakers to remain calm, assuring them that the House leadership will take their grievances to the President.
“The speaker appealed and gave assurance that he will table down the issues with the President”, the source said.
Recall that House of Representatives, on Tuesday, resumed plenary but abruptly adjourned after about two-hour closed-door session, leaving several bills and motions listed on the order paper unattended.
The sitting, presided over by Speaker Abbas, began with the recitation of the National Anthem, prayer and a brief announcement, before the House went for an executive session.
The House remained behind closed doors for nearly two hours.
When the House reconvened, Hon. Uzokwe Peter Lovepet Ifeanyi (Dike-Udo), representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, attempted to raise a point of order, but was not recognised by Speaker Abbas, who proceeded instead to entertain a motion for adjournment.
Thereafter, the Majority Leader moved a motion for adjournment, which was carried without debate, adjourning plenary till Wednesday.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, had during an engagement with the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, chaired by Hon. Abubakar Bichi, declared that the performance of the 2024 budget reached about 80 per cent, with critical projects still underway across the country.
Edun, who appeared alongside the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamsedeen Ogunjimi, said the implementation of the 2024 budget was extended by the National Assembly until December, hence execution remains a work in progress.
