Rowdy House Session Over Tinubu Summons Bid

A heated debate erupted in the House of Representatives as lawmakers disagreed over a proposal linked to constituency projects and President Bola Tinubu.

Proceedings in the House of Representatives turned chaotic on Wednesday after lawmakers clashed over a motion calling on President Bola Tinubu to explain the alleged failure to fund constituency projects. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, a Labour Party lawmaker representing Abia State, introduced the motion, urging the President to appear before the House to address the continued delay in releasing funds for constituency projects across the country.

Another lawmaker supported the motion, while a separate amendment proposed that the House of Representatives suspend plenary for one week until the matter was resolved. Both proposals quickly triggered intense debate among members.

Yusuf Gagdi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Plateau State, opposed the motion. He argued that there was no justification for inviting the President, insisting that the responsibility for implementing and funding constituency projects belongs to the relevant ministries, departments and agencies rather than the Presidency.

Gagdi also dismissed the suggestion to halt legislative proceedings for one week, describing the proposal as unnecessary. His remarks prompted strong objections from several lawmakers, and the disagreement soon escalated into loud exchanges that disrupted activities in the chamber.

As the situation became increasingly tense, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas stepped in and directed members to vote on the matter. After considering the issue, the Speaker ruled that the proposal to invite President Bola Tinubu was out of order because it was not included in the original motion presented by Alex Mascot Ikwechegh.

What do you think this disagreement reveals about the relationship between the legislature and the executive?