Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Philip Agbese, says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s swift intervention quelled growing tension among lawmakers and contractors over unpaid 2024 and 2025 capital projects.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, has revealed how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prevented what could have been a major implosion in the National Assembly following rising discontent over delayed funding for the 2024 and 2025 capital projects.
Agbese stated this while reacting to last week’s protests by indigenous contractors, who stormed the National Assembly complex to demand payment for contracts executed since 2024, temporarily disrupting legislative activities.
He explained that at a closed-door session held on Wednesday, lawmakers in the Green Chamber voiced strong concerns over the non-release of funds for capital projects and insisted that the Federal Government must act swiftly to ensure full implementation of both the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
Lawmakers, according to him, expressed worry about the poor funding of the national budgets and called on the Executive to promptly commence the full execution of the 2025 capital budget to prevent further delays in key development initiatives.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Agbese described the tense atmosphere in the House as “challenging but instructive,” adding that calm had since been restored after proactive steps were taken by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and President Tinubu.
“The frustration expressed by some of our colleagues was genuine. Many projects across the country, especially constituency projects, were stalled due to non-release of funds. This also affected indigenous contractors who had executed 2024 capital projects but were yet to be paid,” Agbese said.
He recalled that tension escalated last week when hundreds of indigenous contractors under the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) staged a protest at the National Assembly, blocking entrances and halting vehicular movement.
“The protest by the contractors was an unfortunate reflection of the economic pressure they were under. Some lamented that the non-payment had forced them to sell their properties or shut down their businesses. The House took their grievances seriously and immediately engaged the Executive to resolve the matter,” he explained.
According to the Benue lawmaker, the Speaker and other principal officers of the House swiftly reached out to the Presidency to avert escalation.
“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,” Agbese revealed.
He commended the leadership of Speaker Abbas for handling the situation with maturity and diplomacy, noting that both lawmakers and contractors’ concerns were resolved without confrontation.
“Our members have absolute confidence in Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. He has shown that he is a truthful and patriotic leader who believes in dialogue, not division. The House remains united in its resolve to support the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Agbese clarified that the delay in budget implementation was not the fault of the Tinubu administration, attributing it instead to obligations inherited 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 added.
The lawmaker reaffirmed that the House of Representatives would continue to work closely with the Executive to ensure Nigeria’s fiscal policies deliver visible and sustainable development across all sectors.
“What the President did restored trust between both arms of government and reinforced our shared commitment to national progress,” Agbese concluded.
