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.

Nigeria may resort to additional borrowing to finance its 2026 budget as lawmakers and fiscal experts raise concerns over a widening deficit and weak revenue performance.

At a public hearing on the 2026 Appropriation Bill in Abuja, the Senate disclosed that the proposed budget of N58.47 trillion is set against projected revenue of N33.19 trillion, leaving a deficit of about N25.27 trillion.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Solomon Adeola, said borrowing remains unavoidable given the country’s development needs and uncertain revenue inflows, but stressed that fiscal discipline and responsible debt management would be prioritised.

He added that debt servicing alone is expected to gulp about N15.90 trillion, underscoring the growing pressure on public finances.

Adeola warned that the National Assembly would intensify scrutiny of government spending, particularly service-wide votes, and insisted that future budgets would no longer be extended beyond December of any fiscal year due to poor implementation and abandoned projects.

He also emphasised the need for ministries, departments and agencies to improve cooperation with oversight bodies to ensure transparency, accountability and efficient use of public funds.

Meanwhile, concerns over poor budget implementation resurfaced as the Minister of Health, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, revealed that his ministry received only N36 million out of the N218 billion appropriated for its 2025 capital expenditure.

According to him, the limited release of funds severely affected the execution of capital projects, despite the full utilisation of personnel allocations.

Pate attributed the funding gaps to cash planning constraints and delays in releasing counterpart funds, which prevented access to donor-supported projects.

He explained that the health sector’s planning framework aligns with national development strategies and prioritises Universal Health Coverage, particularly through the strengthening of primary healthcare services.

The minister said the 2026 health budget proposal was prepared in line with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and processed through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System to ensure needs-based allocation.

Lawmakers also highlighted concerns about inefficiencies in public spending, pointing to the electricity sector as a major financial burden that requires urgent structural reforms.

The House Committee on Healthcare Services, led by Amos Magaji, directed the health ministry to provide detailed records of donor funds received and how they were utilised as part of ongoing oversight efforts.

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has asserted that the majority of Nigeria’s elected officials would lose their positions if elections were conducted in a truly transparent manner.

Sowore made the remark while reacting to the ongoing debate surrounding recent amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the provision allowing both electronic transmission and manual collation of election results.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, he argued that resistance to full electoral transparency stems from fear among political officeholders that credible elections could threaten their seats.

According to him, claims that poor internet connectivity necessitates manual collation are unfounded and merely serve as justification to retain loopholes in the electoral process.

He maintained that if transparency is fully enforced, as much as 90 per cent of lawmakers and other elected officials may not return to office.

The activist also criticised the Senate’s decision to retain manual collation as a backup option, describing it as a calculated move that could allow a return to practices that undermine public confidence in elections.

Sowore further expressed dissatisfaction with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s IREV system, which he described as outdated, and called for Nigeria to adopt a full electronic voting system.

Drawing comparisons with India, he noted that the country successfully manages elections involving hundreds of millions of voters through electronic voting, with minimal post-election disputes.

He added that if Nigerians can conduct sensitive financial transactions electronically, the country should also be able to implement secure electronic voting that allows citizens to cast their ballots remotely.