Budget Tension Forces Abrupt House Adjournment
Tension over the 2026 Appropriation Bill on Tuesday forced the House of Representatives to abruptly adjourn its plenary session without considering a single item on the day’s Order Paper.
The development — last witnessed only during sessions suspended in honour of a deceased lawmaker — followed a heated closed-door meeting where members reportedly exchanged sharp words over the handling of the budget process.
Multiple sources within the National Assembly said the disagreement stemmed from concerns about the executive’s proposed loan request and alleged uneven distribution of capital projects in the 2026 fiscal plan.
The House leadership reportedly called the executive session to address rising discontent among lawmakers, but discussions became tense, leading to an early adjournment.
Lawmakers are expected to reconvene today (Wednesday) to resume legislative business, with debates on the controversial loan proposal likely to dominate proceedings.
Political observers say the latest development underscores growing unease over fiscal priorities, as the National Assembly continues scrutiny of the proposed 2026 budget submitted by President Bola Tinubu last week.
