A fresh wave of tension has emerged between the National Assembly and the executive as the House of Representatives summoned top government officials over what lawmakers describe as persistent poor budget underperformance.
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, were summoned on Tuesday to address the House in a closed-door session following growing concerns over delayed capital releases and mounting unpaid obligations to contractors.
The meeting, which also involved the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, and the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, marked one of the strongest confrontations yet in the ongoing debate about public finance management under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to lawmakers present at the session, the discussions centred on the government’s failure to implement capital components of the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
Members openly expressed frustration over unpaid funds for already executed projects, accusing the executive of undermining economic planning and legislative authority.
Reps Summon Ministers Over Budget Underperformance: Lawmakers Demand Accountability
The decision of the House to summon the ministers was triggered by what legislators termed “a troubling pattern of budget underperformance,” particularly in capital expenditure — a recurring challenge since the 2024 fiscal year began.
“Reps summon ministers over budget underperformance” dominated the day’s concerns, with lawmakers insisting that the continuous cycle of unpaid obligations has become both embarrassing and economically destabilising.
A senior member of the House, who spoke under anonymity, said the meeting produced little reassurance.
“This is not the first time we are raising these issues. The assurances given today sound familiar. Contractors have executed projects, many of them through bank loans backed by collateral.
Yet, funds are not being released. The government must address this anomaly before sending in the 2026 Appropriation Bill,” he said.
In a dramatic response, the House suspended consideration of 42 bills scheduled for first, second, and third readings.
Several committee reports — including those seeking the establishment of agricultural colleges and specialised institutions — were also stepped down in protest.
For the third time, lawmakers halted consideration of the constitution review report submitted last week.
The executive session lasted more than two hours, ending with lawmakers maintaining their position: no 2026 budget consideration until outstanding obligations under the 2024 and 2025 budgets are cleared.
Contractors Under Pressure as Debts Mount
Edo lawmaker, Billy Osawaru, emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting that thousands of local contractors face crippling financial distress.
“These contractors have fulfilled their part of the agreement. Many took loans at high interest rates. Delayed payments from the government push them into insolvency. This is unacceptable,” he said.
He urged President Tinubu’s administration to prioritise contractor payments not only as a matter of integrity but also as a strategy to stabilise the economy and sustain employment.
Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, echoed this sentiment, stressing that Nigerians have lost confidence in the government’s budgeting process due to serial implementation failures.
“The only solution is full execution of the budgets. Anything short of that is unacceptable,” he said.
House Spokesman Calls for Renewed Commitment to Capital Releases
House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, explained that lawmakers were particularly displeased by delays in capital releases — a challenge that hinders national development and disrupts economic activity.
“Capital projects drive jobs, infrastructure, and community development. When the executive delays releases, the ripple effect is massive. It slows progress, weakens public trust, and creates gaps in planning,” he noted.
Rotimi added that the House has been engaging the executive for weeks and remains hopeful that recent discussions would lead to improved cash-flow planning and effective disbursement of funds.
Economists Warn of Dangerous Budgeting Distortions
Former Chief Economist at Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Marcel Okeke, offered a more critical perspective, condemning what he described as “budget distortions” under the current administration.
According to him, the simultaneous running of multiple budgets violates fiscal discipline and creates a dangerous precedent.
“Budgeting is an annual plan grounded in specific assumptions. The parameters for 2024 differ from 2025 and will certainly differ from 2026. When you overlap budgets, you disrupt the entire economic planning framework,” he warned.
Okeke noted that the destabilising effects extend to state governments, which rely heavily on federal budget assumptions, especially in areas such as oil production forecasts and revenue projections.
He further warned that the chaotic administration of the budget cycle encourages corruption, poor accountability, and malfeasance.
“When the process becomes arbitrary, implementation becomes lawless. That is where corruption thrives,” he said.
The House is expected to resume normal plenary today (Wednesday), but their stance remains firm: the executive must clear outstanding debts and improve capital releases before the 2026 budget is considered.
As tension heightens between the two arms of government, Nigerians watch closely to see whether the administration will heed legislative demands or whether the standoff will escalate into a broader political and economic crisis.
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