Chaos broke out at the National Assembly on Wednesday when the Minister of Works, David Umahi, appeared before lawmakers to defend his ministry’s proposed ₦3.4 trillion budget for 2026, sparking heated arguments, procedural interruptions and sharp confrontations over road contracts and spending priorities.
The joint Senate and House Committees on Works had convened to review the ministry’s capital estimates and assess progress on ongoing federal road projects.
However, what began as a routine budget defence quickly turned tense as lawmakers questioned procurement processes, project execution and accountability.
The situation escalated after a pointed exchange between Umahi and Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) over the removal of Julius Berger from the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Road project and its alleged reassignment to Maikano, a company some legislators claimed lacks large-scale highway construction experience.
Oshiomhole pressed the minister on the contractor’s technical capacity, transparency in the bidding process and value for money on the strategic corridor.
Umahi rejected the criticism and challenged lawmakers to inspect the project themselves, declaring that he would resign if the work failed to meet required standards.
“I invite the committee to visit the site. If the road is not up to standard, I will throw in the towel,” he said, expressing confidence in the contractor.
Tensions deepened when Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North) and Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Rufai Hanga (NNPP, Kano Central), clashed over the conduct of the proceedings.
Nwaebonyi, who praised Umahi and urged colleagues to support the ministry, was asked by Hanga to conclude his remarks.
The request sparked a heated response from Nwaebonyi, who argued he had been given less time to speak compared to Oshiomhole and insisted he could not be silenced.
He further asserted his seniority as a ranking member of the ruling party, a claim Hanga strongly rejected.
Hanga countered by asserting his own electoral mandate, stating that the votes that brought him to the Senate in 2023 far exceeded those of Nwaebonyi.
The confrontation drew the attention of senior lawmakers, including Senators Ali Ndume and Adamu Aliero, who stepped in to calm the situation and restore order.
Despite the disruption, Umahi presented details of the ministry’s spending plan and the status of federal road projects.
He explained that ₦760 billion of the ₦3.245 trillion capital allocation is set aside for new projects across the six geopolitical zones, separate from four legacy projects inherited from previous administrations, including the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Maiduguri Road.
The minister disclosed that the Tinubu administration inherited more than 2,000 ongoing projects valued at about ₦13 trillion as of May 2023, excluding tax-credit projects previously handled by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, which has since withdrawn.
He added that an estimated ₦7 trillion would be required to complete these projects, while contractors are owed over ₦2.2 trillion, a development he said has slowed progress nationwide.
Addressing concerns about several ₦14 million entries in the budget, including for the Odukpani–Ikot Ekpene Road, Umahi described them as accounting placeholders rather than the true value of the projects.
He also revealed that only about nine per cent of the ₦2.2 trillion capital allocation for 2025 had been released, severely affecting project implementation.
Umahi assured lawmakers that portions of major legacy projects would be ready for commissioning between May and December 2026 if adequate funding is provided.
He maintained that the ministry remains committed to accountability, quality delivery and value for money despite fiscal pressures and the backlog of inherited projects.
