Pandemonium broke out at the joint sitting of the National Assembly Committee on Works on Wednesday, as two members engaged in a heated exchange that briefly disrupted its proceedings.
The uproar began when the Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Peter Nwebonyi, was recognised to ask questions on the 2026 budget proposal of the Federal Ministry of Works.
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The Minister of Works, David Umahi, had appeared before the joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives to defend the ministry’s proposed N3.4 trillion allocation in the 2026 fiscal year.
Rather than immediately posing questions, Mr Nwebonyi, who is the deputy chief whip of the Senate, used part of his allotted time to commend President Bola Tinubu’s administration and Mr Umahi’s performance in the works ministry.
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However, Kano Central Senator, Rufai Hanga, who chaired the Joint Committee, asked Mr Nwebonyi to conclude his remarks after he had spoken for about five minutes.
Mr Nwebonyi reacted angrily, accusing Mr Hanga of attempting to silence him because he is an opposition member. He insisted that the chairman lacked the authority to prevent him from commending the president.
Mr Hanga, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Senate’s deputy minority whip, maintained his position. Mr Nwebonyi, on the other hand, is the deputy chief whip and a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
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The Ebonyi senator further argued that he was treated unfairly, alleging that the chairman allowed Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole to speak for about 15 minutes without interruption.
Mr Nwebonyi also claimed that, as a principal officer and member of the ruling party, he should have presided over the session but deliberately allowed Mr Hanga, an opposition senator, to chair the meeting.
In response, Mr Hanga firmly stated that Mr Nwebonyi could not assume leadership of the meeting simply because he is a principal officer.
Amidst the argument, Borno North Senator, Ali Ndume, intervened, calling for calm and urging Mr Nwebonyi to apologise to Mr Hanga, whom he described as both an elder and the presiding officer.
Mr Nwebonyi, however, refused to apologise and challenged Mr Hanga to do whatever he wished.
The meeting was temporarily suspended as other lawmakers moved to calm the situation. Shortly afterwards, Mr Nwebonyi gathered his documents and left the committee room.
Proceedings later resumed.
Government owed contractors N2.2 trillion
Mr Umahi said the federal government owes contractors about N2.2 trillion for projects executed between 2023 and 2024.
The minister stated that the matter had been presented to President Tinubu at the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and that the president subsequently directed the constitution of an ad hoc committee to address the outstanding payments.
Earlier in the year, local contractors under the umbrella of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) staged a peaceful protest at the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja over the alleged delay in the payment for projects executed and commissioned.
The protesters decried the delays in settling certified payments, accusing the government of repeatedly shifting its position on when the debts would be cleared.
Protection of nation’s infrastructure
Mr Umahi also expressed concern over the destruction of public infrastructure, lamenting that some individuals vandalise roads, dump refuse in drainage channels, and remove electrical facilities installed along highways.
He appealed to lawmakers to enact legislation criminalising the deliberate destruction of public infrastructure.
Works are destroyed by those who are harvesting rods, refuse is dumped in our drainage channel, like what happened on our coastal road two days ago, because of blocked drainage channels, removal of electrical facilities on our road, harvesting of expansion joints on our bridges and parking on our roads and bridges. Any legislation on these issues will be desirable,” the minister said.
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