National Assembly Members Kick Over Tinubu’s Non-Release Of Funds, Condemn Akpabio, Abbas’ Leadership

Tension is brewing in the Nigerian legislature as some members of the National Assembly are said to be gearing for a showdown with President Bola Tinubu over what they described as disdainful treatment from the executive, SaharaReporters has learnt.

This is coming a few days after a member of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi, representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State, expressed deep concerns over the Tinubu-led government’s failure to release any funds for capital projects in the 2025 fiscal year, barely two months before the year ends.

SaharaReporters had reported that Gagdi during a townhall meeting with his constituents in Plateau State lamented that not a single kobo had been released for capital projects since the passage of the 2025 Appropriation Act last December.

He had explained that although President Tinubu had initially approved an intervention of ₦1billion worth of constituency projects for each member of the House of Representatives, the allocation had recently been cut by half due to funding challenges.

“Our legislators are here, and we have pecularity. There is no federal lawmaker in Abuja who is directly given constituency funds in cash. Instead, in each state, lawmakers are allocated an envelope worth ₦1 billion to propose project ideas,” he had said.

Corroborating what Gagdi said, some lawmakers who spoke to SaharaReporters said that the leadership of the House of Representatives led by Tajudeen Abbas and the Senate, Godswill Akpabio would bear the brunt of the souring relationship for cheapening the National Assembly and “selling them out for peanuts”.

According to them, the anger is more palpable in the House of Representatives, where members are already protesting.

They added that in the Senate, some aggrieved lawmakers have revived “the Integrity Group” to force the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, out of office.

“A similar group is working underground in the House of Representatives, but its members agree on giving an ultimatum to the Speaker, Tajudeen Abass, to confront President Tinubu on behalf of the House,” a source said.

“The members are reportedly gunning for the Speaker’s impeachment once the ultimatum expires, and if he fails to place the interest of the members above loyalty to the executive.”

One of the aggrieved members, who is from Kano State added, “Mr President has refused to implement the 2024 budget with the implication that Nigerians are suffering, he is only focused on implementing components that are of interest to him, things he can use to campaign.

“Nigerians must be alive before they vote but the president is not concerned about this. Is this still a government?”

Another lawmaker lamented that the President has been treating them like conquered territory where there is no need for consultations.

He said, “The prevailing anger among us is that President Tinubu is treating us like, whether in the red or green chamber, like those ceremonial parliaments of secondary schools. He is treating National Assembly members like Lagos schoolboys.

“He dishes out the orders and both leaderships enforce them. Members are complaining that everything Tinubu has asked from the parliament was given to him – Tax Reforms, Supplementary Budgets, foreign loans, and even the National Anthem.

“Here in the House of Representatives, some members had resolved to move against the Speaker at plenary session but for the timely intervention of the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, Abubakar Bichi, who calmed aggrieved members down.

“Bichi’s intervention was a great saving grace because he swiftly intervened and placated many of us. But the House must be progressive and that requires that we remove sentiments and call a spade a spade.”

Another source added that the Senate President may also be on his way out of office.

“There is not much that can be done to save Akpabio because members of the integrity group have resolved to kick him out for selling the Senate to the executive,” he said.

“Senators have come to the inevitable conclusion that the appointment of Akpabio was a big mistake that must be urgently corrected.” (SaharaReporters)