The House of Representatives on Tuesday suspended its plenary session following growing tension over the 2026 budget. Lawmakers abruptly ended proceedings without discussing any item on the Order Paper, which contained several bills, motions, and reports slated for consideration.
The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, presided over the session, which began with an hour-long closed-door meeting. After the private discussion, the atmosphere in the chamber became tense when Ifeanyi Uzokwe, a lawmaker from Anambra State, repeatedly sought recognition to speak but was ignored. Moments later, the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, moved a motion for adjournment, and members quickly agreed, ending the sitting.
The decision to halt plenary came amid reports that lawmakers were divided over issues related to the federal government’s management of the 2026 budget and outstanding debts owed to local contractors. The closed-door meeting reportedly addressed the expiration of a one-week deadline given to the Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and the Accountant General of the Federation to settle those debts.
Sources revealed that President Bola Tinubu had expected the House to approve a N1.15 trillion loan request to cover the 2025 budget deficit during Tuesday’s sitting. However, lawmakers, who were reportedly unhappy about pending welfare issues and constituency project funding, refused to deliberate on the borrowing plan. The President had previously written to the National Assembly seeking approval for the domestic borrowing to bridge gaps in the 2025 fiscal plan.
In the letter earlier read by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, the President explained that the approved 2025 budget size had increased beyond initial revenue projections, leaving a deficit that required borrowing to fill. The loan request had also been presented to the Senate by its President, Godswill Akpabio.
Before the session began, a Bauchi lawmaker, Ismaila Dabo, raised concerns in a message to the House’s WhatsApp group about the financial struggles facing many members. He noted that despite a sharp rise in the National Assembly’s budget over the past two years, many legislators were struggling to meet basic expenses such as rent and travel, while some were facing loan defaults and debt issues.
Dabo also raised concerns about the large number of committees in the House, which he said had weakened oversight functions by causing confusion and overlapping duties among members. He called for a reduction in committees and a fairer distribution of budgetary allocations to ordinary members compared to principal officers.
During the closed-door meeting, it was gathered that Speaker Abbas assured lawmakers that the leadership had not diverted House funds. He directed the Committee on House Services to explain how funds were allocated for projects, including the construction of car parks, a new hospital, and other facilities within the National Assembly.
Some lawmakers, however, expressed dissatisfaction with how part of the funds was spent, alleging that minor purchases such as fans and dustbins were prioritized over members’ welfare.
Attempts to get an official comment from the House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, and the Chairman of the Committee on House Services, Amos Daniel, were unsuccessful as they did not respond to calls or messages.
The House is expected to reconvene today to continue legislative activities, with the borrowing request and budget issues likely to dominate discussions.