Philip Agbese, deputy spokesperson of the house of representatives, says the parliament does not need to summon President Bola Tinubu over the “poor” implementation of the nation’s budget.
On July 8, the house’s plenary session turned rowdy as lawmakers clashed over a motion to summon the president for the alleged inadequate execution of the 2025 Appropriation Act.
Since 2025, local contractors, under the aegis of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), have staged protests over unpaid debts for projects executed for the federal government.
Federal lawmakers have also lamented that the slow implementation of the budget is stalling the execution of constituency projects.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Abuja, Agbese said the house does not require the president’s presence to resolve issues related to the implementation and oversight of the national budget.
He said budget implementation and expenditure fall within the responsibilities of heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and the office of the accountant-general of the federation.
“The house does not need Mr president to appear before it to resolve budget-related issues. The relevant ministers and the office of the accountant-general are the right people to answer lawmakers’ questions because they are directly involved in budget implementation,” Agbese said.
Agbese said Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, demonstrated leadership and maturity in managing proceedings during the rowdy session.
