Contractors’ Protest: How Tinubu’s intervention saved NASS from crisis

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu’s timely intervention prevented what could have been a major institutional crisis within the National Assembly.

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The tension followed rising disquiet among lawmakers over the delayed release of funds for 2024 and 2025 capital projects and the government’s failure to pay indigenous contractors for completed works.

The situation reached a boiling point last week when members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), in their numbers, stormed the National Assembly complex in Abuja, blocking the main entrance and halting vehicular movement.

The contractors, who claimed to have executed several 2024 projects without payment, accused the federal government of neglect and warned of a total shutdown of project sites nationwide if their demands were ignored.

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Inside the legislature, the tension mirrored the chaos outside. Frustrated by what they described as the federal government’s nonchalant attitude toward budget implementation, lawmakers initially resolved to suspend plenary for seven days to press their demands.

The decision signalled deepening unease within the House and raised concerns of a possible breakdown in relations between the Executive and the Legislature.

However, following high-level consultations, the House rescinded its decision and reconvened after receiving what leaders described as “positive developments” from the Presidency.

When plenary resumed, lawmakers retreated into a closed-door session that lasted several hours, during which tempers flared and members expressed strong dissatisfaction over the persistent delays in funding capital projects.

Tinubu’s decisive move

Speaking on the development, Mr Agbese said Mr Tinubu’s direct intervention was instrumental in calming frayed nerves and restoring stability within the legislature.

“The last few days were challenging but instructive,” he said, noting that the frustration expressed by his colleagues was genuine as many constituency and national projects were stalled because funds were not released.

“Many projects across the country, especially constituency projects, were stalled due to the non-release of funds. This also affected indigenous contractors who had executed 2024 capital projects but were yet to be paid,” he added.

According to Mr Agbese, after the tense session, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and principal officers of the House engaged the presidency to find a resolution before the situation worsened.

“The intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was decisive. Mr President directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, to commence immediate payment to contractors. We have received confirmation that some of these payments are already being made. This singular action by the president helped douse rising tempers and restore normalcy within the House,” he said.

He commended the speaker for handling the crisis with maturity and tact, noting that his leadership prevented a complete legislative shutdown.

Mr Agbese further explained that the delay in capital project funding was not solely the fault of the Tinubu administration but a result of unfulfilled obligations from previous fiscal years.

“The truth is, this administration inherited uncompleted projects and past budget obligations that needed to be implemented at all costs. So, the delay cannot be attributed to President Tinubu. On the contrary, his swift response demonstrated his commitment to good governance and fiscal responsibility,” he said.

The deputy spokesperson urged the Executive to expedite the implementation of the 2025 capital budget to sustain public trust and ensure that Nigerians begin to feel the tangible benefits of government spending.