Manny Ita –
A joint sitting of the National Assembly Committee on Works devolved into pandemonium on Wednesday following a heated confrontation between the Committee Chairman, Senator Rufai Hanga, and the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Peter Nwebonyi. The altercation occurred during the 2026 budget defense session where the Minister of Works, David Umahi, presented a proposed allocation of N3.4 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year. The proceedings were abruptly disrupted when Mr. Nwebonyi, representing Ebonyi North, reacted sharply to being asked to conclude his remarks after speaking for five minutes, during which he had been praising the current administration’s performance rather than questioning the budget specifics.
The disagreement intensified as Mr. Nwebonyi accused Chairman Hanga, a member of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), of attempting to suppress his voice due to partisan differences. The Ebonyi Senator alleged that he was being treated unfairly, pointing out that Senator Adams Oshiomhole had previously been permitted to speak for fifteen minutes without interruption. “I am a principal officer and a member of the ruling party; I should have presided over this session but deliberately allowed an opposition senator to chair the meeting,” Mr. Nwebonyi claimed, further asserting that the chairman lacked the authority to prevent him from commending the President.
In a firm rebuttal, Senator Hanga maintained that committee leadership is governed by established protocols rather than political rank, stating that Mr. Nwebonyi could not simply assume leadership of the meeting based on his status as a principal officer. Despite efforts by Senator Ali Ndume to mediate the crisis—during which he urged Mr. Nwebonyi to apologize to the chairman as the presiding officer—the Ebonyi Senator remained defiant. “Challenge the chairman to do whatever he wishes,” Mr. Nwebonyi reportedly stated before gathering his documents and staging a walkout, forcing a temporary suspension of the hearing before proceedings eventually resumed in his absence.
Amidst the legislative friction, Minister David Umahi informed the committee that the federal government currently owes contractors approximately N2.2 trillion for projects executed between 2023 and 2024. He noted that President Tinubu has directed the formation of an ad hoc committee to resolve these outstanding debts following protests from the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN). Additionally, the Minister called for urgent legislation to protect the nation’s infrastructure from rampant vandalism. “Works are destroyed by those who are harvesting rods, refuse is dumped in our drainage channel… harvesting of expansion joints on our bridges and parking on our roads and bridges. Any legislation on these issues will be desirable,” Mr. Umahi told the lawmakers.
