Proceedings in the House of Representatives turned rowdy as legislators disagreed over a motion seeking to summon President Bola Tinubu to explain the alleged non-funding of constituency projects.
During the plenary on Wednesday, Benedict Etanabene, the lawmaker representing the Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie federal constituency in Delta State, raised a point of privilege to draw the attention of the house to a June 29 circular issued by Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, the accountant-general of the federation.
In the memo, Ogunjimi directed all federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to immediately stop processing payments for constituency and zonal intervention projects (ZIPs) unless they have been formally vetted by the ministry of special duties and intergovernmental affairs.
Etanabene urged the house to summon the president to address lawmakers on the delay in implementing the 2025 budget, adding that the circular would further hamper the execution of the appropriation act.
Etanabene noted that the issue was not new, recalling that the house had previously invited the accountant-general, ministers, and other officials to address budget implementation delays without any meaningful resolution.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, he argued that lawmakers could no longer explain to their constituents why projects approved in the budget had yet to commence.
The motion divided the house, with most lawmakers supporting it and others protesting against it.
Following that, Alex Mascot, a lawmaker from Abia, moved a motion on urgent public importance, saying that security agencies were not being adequately funded despite the federal government spending billions of naira.
He said Tinubu should be invited to address lawmakers over the budget implementation fiasco.
The motion was greeted with shouts of approval from many lawmakers.
However, Yusuf Gagdi, chairman of the House Committee on Navy, opposed the motion, saying it was more appropriate for parliament to invite officials delegated with responsibility for budget implementation.
Several lawmakers interrupted him, asking him to sit down.
Abbas then called for a division to allow lawmakers to vote on the motion, but the proposal was rejected.
The speaker subsequently referred the motion to an ad hoc committee to be constituted by the House.
Moments later, Mascot rose on a point of order, arguing that his prayers did not include the constitution of an ad hoc committee.
He was rebuked by Abbas, who described his conduct as “completely unparliamentary” and “an act of dishonor,” saying the lawmaker departed from the version of the motion submitted before the start of plenary.
“It is a complete deviation from the copy you gave me,” the speaker said.
As tensions escalated, the speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, intervened and directed that the House vote on the matter to determine its position.
The speaker, however, ruled the proposal to invite the president out of order, stating that it did not form part of the original motion moved by Mascot.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
