The House of Representatives has suspended plenary for one week following a protest by local contractors who blocked access to the National Assembly Complex on Tuesday over unpaid contract fees for projects executed since 2024.
Daily Trust reports that the indigenous contractors staged the demonstration to demand settlement of outstanding payments from the federal government.
Lawmakers said the suspension was necessary due to the difficulty in accessing the National Assembly Complex amid the protest, which they said could continue for a week.
The House also noted that the break would provide time for its leadership to engage the executive branch and ensure contractors are paid, preventing further disruption of parliamentary activities.
The suspension followed a motion of urgent national importance raised by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, who highlighted the “dire plight” of contractors.
He explained that the protest was triggered by the government’s failure to implement President Bola Tinubu’s directives for the Ministers of Finance and Budget to pay local contractors immediately.
Chinda said,
“Our local contractors, our brothers and sisters, besieged the National Assembly today, protesting that they have not been paid for jobs completed under the 2024 budget. This non-payment has caused untold hardship to our people, and it is our duty as Parliament to take a stand.”
The House resolved to give the Ministers of Finance, Wale Edun; Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and the Accountant-General of the Federation seven days to settle all outstanding payments and fully implement the 2025 budget.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who presided over the session, put the motion to a vote, and it was unanimously adopted.
Drama ensued when Hon. Kabiru Ahmadu Mai-Palace (Zamfara State) moved a follow-up motion urging the House to suspend plenary sessions for a week until the executive responded to the ultimatum. He stated,
“The urgency and sensitivity of this matter demand that we suspend our sittings for one week so that the leadership can engage the executive to find a lasting solution.”
Supporting the motion, House Committee on Rules and Business Chairman Francis Waive explained that the decision was practical given that the protesting contractors had vowed to continue demonstrations for a week, obstructing access to the Assembly.
“Members came late today because the roads were blocked by the protesters. It’s sensible to step back and allow the executive to act,” Waive said.
With unanimous approval by voice vote, Kalu ruled that all plenary activities would be adjourned until next Tuesday, pending the outcome of leadership consultations with the executive branch.
The House also mandated its leadership to ensure strict compliance with the resolution and report back within a week, warning of “further drastic legislative action” should the executive fail to act.
