Lawmakers dismiss demand to grill Tinubu on financing of local development initiatives

The House of Representatives rejected a proposal to summon President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, amidst a tumultuous plenary session focused on delays in implementing the 2026 budget, particularly with regards to zonal intervention projects, also known as constituency projects.

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This development came as the House considered a motion sponsored by Alex Ikwechegh, representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency of Abia State, which highlighted the poor funding of appropriated budgets and the delayed release of capital funds to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.

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Benedict Etanabene, representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State, raised a constitutional point of order, citing a circular from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation that announced the suspension of funding for zonal intervention projects pending fresh verification requirements.

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Etanabene advocated for the House to exercise its constitutional oversight powers by inviting President Tinubu and his economic team to explain the reported suspension, stating that the current situation was not in the best interest of the country, with the 2024, 2025, and 2026 budgets being implemented concurrently.

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He urged the House to summon President Tinubu and his financial team to brief Nigerians on the situation, as lawmakers could not explain the developments to their constituents, and the stories surrounding the suspension were not complimentary.

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The proposal sparked intense debate, with lawmakers engaging in heated exchanges and taking opposing positions across the chamber.

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Alex Ikwechegh, in moving the substantive motion, argued that the credibility of the appropriation process depended on the timely release and utilisation of budgeted funds, noting that ministers and heads of MDAs had disclosed that many agencies received little or no capital releases in the 2025 fiscal year.

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Ikwechegh recalled that President Tinubu had directed the immediate settlement of verified contractor liabilities estimated at about N1.5tn and approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee to harmonise records and facilitate payment, but releases to MDAs had remained slow, stalling projects and worsening contractors’ financial challenges.

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The lawmaker criticised a June 29, 2026 Treasury circular issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, which introduced fresh bureaucratic bottlenecks that could further delay project execution by requiring a Certificate of Verification and Compliance from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.

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Speaker Tajudeen Abbas ruled that the proposal to invite President Tinubu was out of order, citing that it was not part of the substantive motion before the House and was inconsistent with parliamentary procedure.

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The House subsequently adopted the substantive resolutions of the motion, urging the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation, 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.

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Lawmakers also called for a clear schedule for the release of funds for the 2026 fiscal year and the speedy settlement of verified contractor liabilities, and urged the Office of the Accountant-General to review the June 29 Treasury circular and harmonise it with the President’s directive.

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To strengthen oversight, Abbas constituted a 12-member ad hoc committee chaired by Abubakar Bichi, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, to interface with relevant fiscal authorities and report back to the House within four weeks.