House Erupts Over Motion to Summon Tinubu
The House of Representatives was thrown into a heated session on Wednesday after lawmakers clashed over a proposal to invite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appear before the Green Chamber.
The tension began during plenary when Benedict Etanabene, the lawmaker representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State, raised a point of privilege concerning a June 29 circular issued by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi.
Etanabene argued that the directive had sparked widespread public concern and warranted immediate legislative attention.
He urged the House to invite President Tinubu to explain the issues arising from the circular and address lawmakers directly.
His proposal immediately divided members of the House. While some lawmakers supported the motion, insisting that the National Assembly has a constitutional duty to exercise oversight on matters affecting governance and public finance, others opposed the move, arguing that summoning the President was unnecessary and inconsistent with constitutional practice.
The disagreement quickly escalated into a rowdy exchange, with lawmakers shouting across the chamber and repeatedly interrupting one another.
The presiding officer was forced to intervene several times in an effort to restore order and allow proceedings to continue.
Although calm was eventually restored, deliberations continued in a tense atmosphere, reflecting the sharp differences among lawmakers over the scope of the legislature’s oversight powers and the appropriate process for engaging the President on matters of national importance.
The incident is the latest in a series of heated debates in the House of Representatives, highlighting growing divisions among lawmakers over issues of governance, accountability and executive oversight.
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