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House of commotion: Fresh crisis rocks Kogi Assembly
This is not the first time that the Kogi State House of Assembly has been enmeshed with crisis.
Back in February 16, 2016, five lawmakers, out of a 20-member House, sat and purportedly removed the then Speaker, Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal who was said not to be in the good books of the State Government.
Citing relevant sessions in the House rules, the lawmakers aired their views that five was greater than 15, insisting that they have formed a quorum to impeach a sitting Speaker and elect a new one. The coup against Lawal was led by the former lawmaker representing Igalamela Odolu Constituency, Friday Sanni Makama who was also suspended and never returned to the chamber till the expiration of 6th Assembly in Kogi State.
Although normalcy gradually returned to the House after the prolonged crisis, the emergence of Alfa Ahmed Imam as the successor of Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal didn’t last. Things fell apart between Imam and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State over consistent criticism of the Kogi State Government.
How commotion started in Kogi Seventh Assembly
The current crisis rocking the seventh Kogi State House of Assembly could be traced far back to June 17, 2023, when the Speaker of the House, Prince Mathew Kolawol announced the impeachment of the then Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ahmed Muhammed, member representing Ankpa I state constituency.
The suspension of the number two Citizen of the house is sequel to a motion of urgent public importance read by Hon. Enema Paul, member representing (Dekina/Okura) State Constituency.
The lawmaker said 17 lawmakers signed the impeachment of the then deputy speaker and the suspension of the three principal officers of the House.
The three principal officers removed from office and later suspended from the House are Bello Hassan Balogun (Majority Leader), representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Idris Ndako (Deputy Majority Leader), representing Lokoja II and Hon. Edoko Moses Ododo (Chief Whip).
The House, thereafter, announced Alfa Momoh Rabiu, a lawmaker representing Ankpa II, as the new Deputy Speaker.
Other new principal officers elected are Hon. Muktar Bajeh (Majority Leader), Umar Isah Tanimu (Deputy Majority Leader), Enema Paul (Deputy Chief Whip), and Ahmed Dahiru (Chief Whip).
Aggrieved lawmakers fight back
Following their suspension and removal from office, the aggrieved lawmakers fought back immediately, announcing the removal of Prince Mathew Kolawole as the Speaker of the House.
They accused Prince Kolawole of misconduct and money laundering running into millions of naira.
According to them, Kolawole’s alleged corrupt antecedents had led to the non-payment of members’ constitutional entitlements, gross corruption and diversion of funds meant for the Assembly since 2019.
They also said the Speaker obtained a personal loan running into hundreds of millions, using the Kogi State House of Assembly account to the detriment of other members.
The aggrieved lawmakers alleged that Kolawole diminished the integrity of fellow elected members by serially recording meetings and confidential conversations of members which he used as a tool to blackmail members before Governor Yahaya Bello.
The statement reads, “Whereas the Kogi State House of Assembly has been embroiled in an ongoing messy crisis of confidence with the leadership style and corrupt antecedents and tendencies of the former/impeached Speaker, Mr. Mattew Kolawole whose leadership of the Kogi State House of Assembly has led to non-payment of members Constitutional entitlements and gross corruption and diversion of funds meant for the Assembly since 2019.
“That the said Mr. Mattew Kolawole used the Kogi State House of Assembly account to collect a personal loan running into Hundreds of millions to the detriment of Members of the House.
“That the said Mr. Mattew Kolawole stepped on and diminished the integrity and status of fellow elected members by serially recording meetings and confidential conversations of members with which he maliciously played for the Governor of Kogi State as a tool to blackmail members and destroy the trust and loyalty of members to the Governor overtime.
“That all the undersigned 19 members upon being perplexed and vexed at the obvious evil behaviour and machinations of Mr. Mattew Kolawole met and decided to constitutionally impeach the said Mattew Kolawole to wit signatures were collected and the said Mattew Kolawole impeached and a Speaker Pro Tempore duly elected amongst members.
“The standing orders of the Kogi State House of Assembly state that Mondays and Fridays are meant for Committee business and oversight functions and are not plenary days.
“For the business of plenary and by extension resolutions to be effected, a proclamation must be made a minimum of 48 hours before the date of sitting.
“This then goes to the fact that all the activities of the intimidated and kidnapped members under the impeached Mr. Mattew Kolawole today the 17th day of June, 2022, are null and void ab initio and cannot stand the test of legality.
“Finally, all undersigned members pledge their unalloyed loyalty to His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello and the party that brought them all to power: The All Progressives Congress. APC.
“We hereby adopt the following Resolutions for their removal and Suspension as follows:
“That it be resolved:- and it is so resolved that Rt. Hon. (Prince) Matthew Kolawole, is hereby removed/impeached as the speaker, of the Kogi State House of Assembly with effect from today Monday, the 13th day of July, 2022 in accordance with Section 92 (2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and suspended from the House pending the final report from the House Committee on ethics and privileges upon investigation of the allegations bordering on gross misconduct in accordance with Order 10 Rule 65 Sub 12 of the Kogi State House of Assembly Standing rules.
“For avoidance of doubt, Section 92 (2) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended provides that: “The Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly shall vacate his/their offices if they are removed from office by a resolution of the House of Assembly by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the House.”
The lawmakers who had said the impeachment took effect from Monday, June 13, 2022, in a statement issued to journalists claimed that the speaker’s impeachment was undersigned by 19 lawmakers, including Ahmed Mohammed, the deputy speaker and Bello Abdullahi, the majority leader. The names of the lawmakers who purportedly signed the impeachment letter are as follows:
We didn’t impeach Speaker
However, some lawmakers, who were reported to have signed the impeachment of Prince Mathew Kolawole, debunked removing the Kabba/Bunu lawmaker. The assembly members distanced themselves from the alleged signatures collected to impeach the Speaker.
The position of some of the lawmakers came a few days after the then suspended former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, representing (Ankpa I) and two other former principal officers, Hon. Bello Hassan Abdullahi (Ajaokuta), and Moses Odoo, (Dekina/Biraidu) purportedly came up with a letter that Prince Mathew Kolawole has been impeached as Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly.
The lawmakers during the House plenary said they collected signatures to pass a vote of confidence on Governor Yahaya Bello’s Presidential ambition and not to impeach the Speaker.
Why we recalled suspended members- Kogi Assembly
Just in January, the Kogi State House of Assembly recalled the suspended principal officers back to the house. This actually happened barely a month to the 2023 general election.
The Assembly speaker, Kolawole said the suspended lawmakers were recalled to foster peace and harmony among members as the seventh Assembly gradually comes to an end.
Reading the findings of the house committee on ethics and privileges, the committee chairman, and Assembly Chief Whip, Ahmed Dahiru said the suspended members were remorseful for their actions and should be recalled to perform legislative duties.
The recalled members are Ahmed Mohammed, member representing Ankpa I, Bello Hassan Balogun representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Idris Ndako, representing Lokoja II and Hon. Edoko Moses Ododo .
Another Gale of suspension rock Kogi Assembly
However, just barely two months later, another gale of suspension has hit the Kogi State House of Assembly. On March 27th, 2023, nine lawmakers were suspended by the House over alleged anti-party activities and terrorism. The suspended lawmakers include Daniya Rayin of Bassa constituency; Muktar Bajeh, Okehi constituency; Kilani Olumo, Ijumu constituency; Moses Akande, Ogori-Magongo constituency; Lawi Ahmed, Okene I constituency; Atule Igbunu, Ibaji constituency; Suleiman Attajachi Musa, Idah constituency; Aderonke Aro, Yagba West constituency, and Bello Hassan Abdullahi, Ajaokuta constituency.
But the suspended lawmakers are insisting that the latest development will not stand. In a chat with one of the lawmakers who never wanted his name to be mentioned, he said the Speaker of the house is dancing to the script of some high profile people in Kogi State.
The lawmaker said: “Kolawole keeps dancing to the tune of his pay masters. He should not forget that this is just temporary. He should not forget that there is light after the tunnel. We shall overcome”.
I was told to deliver my Constituency during election – Ijumu lawmaker fingers Kogi Govt.
Meanwhile, the Member representing Ijumu in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Olusola Kilani has petitioned Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, over what he called unfounded and ridiculous allegations of terrorism and electoral violence levelled against him.
Recall that Governor Bello had earlier, through a letter sent to the State House of Assembly and read by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mathew Kolawole tagged Hon. Kilani and eight (8) others (Members of the State House of Assembly) as Terrorists or engaging in Terrorism.
But in a petition by Hon. Olusola Kilani, written by O.M. Atoyebu SAN & Partner, of Omaplex Law Firm, the lawmaker said the Governor has perfected a plan and hatched a clandestine move to set the machineries of Kogi State Government against him in bad light as a terrorist to settle political scores, especially given the grave penal and social consequences which the allegations carry in the present day Nigeria.
The motive behind the unfounded allegations to label him a terrorist, Hon. Olusola noted in the petition, is because of the just concluded election in which the Governor mandated him, the lawmaker and other mentioned members of the State House of Assembly to deliver their respective Constituencies at all costs, whether by ‘Legal or Illegal” means, which the Lawmaker said he rebuffed being a law abiding citizen and ardent follower of Mr. President’s stance and insistence on having a free and fair election.
The lawmaker said it is instructive to note that the Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Mathew Kolawole as Speaker acted the script of the Governor even without a basis of proof. He said the allegations against him were because of his failure to circumvent the electoral act against the wishes of the people by ensuring victory at all costs in his constituency for the APC candidate in the just concluded 2023 House of Assembly Polls.
The lawmaker, who said the Governor was miffed by his patriotic acts, said the latter vowed to deal ruthlessly, politically with him, hence the letter by him to the Speaker which was acted upon leading to his suspension.
Meanwhile, neither the Kogi State Government nor the State Assembly is yet to comment on the matter as of the time of filing this report.
News
Nwabueze Denies Running ‘Fake Agency’, Says Made-in-Nigeria Project Has Operated Under OSGF for 16 Years
The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, George Nwabueze, has denied the allegation of running a “fake agency” in the country.
Nwabueze, who spoke with newsmen on Saturday, noted that he oversaw an office which was under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He noted that the office had been in existence for 16 years.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission had on Friday said the President had ordered Nwabueze’s arrest for leading and promoting the outfit, which it tagged as a fake federal agency.
The ICPC said the accused was running it with the collaboration of senior public servants in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
But responding to our correspondent, the embattled executive director said, “Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a project office in the OSGF. We don’t know where fake agency comes from. A programme that has been in the SGF’s office since 16 July 2010 was just discovered yesterday (Friday). After 16 years; Nigeria is a funny country.”
Nwabueze spoke while responding to our correspondent’s enquiries on LinkedIn, where he had earlier posted his appointment letter to rebuff ICPC’s claim of illegality.
The letter, dated October 3, 2025, was purportedly issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
It was referenced OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Nadungu Gagare.
The letter, addressed to “Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, National Coordinator, Made in Nigeria Project Office, OSGF, Three Arms Zone, Abuja,” conveyed the approval of his appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the OSGF.
According to the document, the appointment was for a five-year tenure beginning from July 2025 and was renewable.
“I am directed to formally convey the approval of your appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” the letter stated.
It added that the appointment followed “a careful evaluation of your commitment, contribution, and capacity in delivering on the mandate of the Special Project Office.”
The document listed Nwabueze’s responsibilities to include the supervision and development of programmes, projects and policies; supervision of regional and state coordinators across the 36 states; and organisation of exhibitions, trade expos, economic summits and other promotional initiatives aimed at promoting indigenous products and services.
It further stated that the project was to operate temporarily from Room B53, Ground Floor, within the OSGF complex.
“Please note that this appointment is at the pleasure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and in line with the objectives of the Made in Nigeria initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the letter said.
Efforts to engage Nwabueze further on the matter proved abortive as he declined response.
Former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, has described Pastor Jerry Uchechukwu Eze as an exceptional man of God whose ministry has made a profound impact on humanity.
In a birthday congratulatory message issued on Saturday, August 22, 2026, Orji paid glowing tribute to the Senior Pastor of Streams of Joy International and Convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declaration (NSPPD).
“Your faith, selfless service, wisdom and commitment to the work of God continue to inspire countless lives. Your ministry has been a source of hope, guidance and spiritual upliftment to many,” Orji said.
The former Speaker further described Pastor Jerry Eze as a highly revered servant of God who is truly filled with the Holy Spirit, noting that testimonies of miracles, signs and wonders consistently follow the NSPPD prayer sessions.
While wishing the celebrant a happy birthday, Orji prayed that God would continue to increase him in ministry, wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and grant him long life in peace and happiness.
The Anambra state police command has arrested a suspect for allegedly impersonating, False Representation of Mr Linus Williams “BLord” and defrauding members of the public.
According to the charges of false representation using the name of Blood to defraud the public the 22 year old young man Hillary Tochukwu Enujekwu from Okpanam in Delta state is accused of committing the crime punishable under Section 386 of the Criminal Code , Cap 36 , Vol 2 Revised Law of Anambra state of Nigeria 1991.
However the Magistrate Court did not sit on this Friday and the accused was returned to the State Criminal Investigation Department Amawbia.
Speaking to reporters Mr Linus William aka Blord confirmed that the accused had been using a fake TikTok handle claiming that he is Blord adding that he is not active on TikTok and is yet to verify his TikTok.
“I am at the Magistrate Court Amawbia in respect of a matter that was brought to the Court over a young man that has been using my videos and my pictures to defraud the public for the past three years”
“He has been n notorious on TikTok and he has about 11 million likes on TikTok and about 870,000 or there about followers on TikTok”
“Meanwhile my original TikTok has about 150,000 followers with 1,5million likes but this young man has about 11.6 million and that is ten times of my profile and people take his profile as the real Blord profile and they have been transacting with him and defrauded more than 100 people millions of naira and dollars ”
“Many of them came to the station to write their statements and the young man has confessed and agreed to the crime and the family has been begging for us to know how to settle the matter”.
“We came to Court today but the Court did not sit and they are taking the boy back to Police custody State Criminal Investigation Department where he is being remanded”
William recalled that when the matter came up, he reported to the Police who took action and arrested boy and invited him over to come and see the suspect .
“We went through his phone and all the videos on his phone are my videos, the number that he has been using to defraud them and once you call that number his number will ring and he used it to defraud people running into millions, 1,000 dollars , 3,000 dollar’s 5 million at different scenario and people believe that I was the one that defrauded them”.
“When he defraud the victims he will tell them to come to the office and we have nine different branches of my office and when they come we tell them that it not Blord profile” he said.
William thanked the Police for a job well done addin that he is innocent of those allegations against him.
William further explained that his outfit is verifiable on Instagram adding that his TikTok is yet to be activated .
“The Blord is on Instagram and I have a verify Instagram and verified Facebook but am not on TikTok and I am working towards verifying myself on TikTok”
“For you to get a legitimate Blord, make sure that the profile is verified and and if you feel doubted, we have office in nine major Cities and one should be close to you and you can come to the office and do your transactions ” he said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga said that the matter is before the Court of law hence cannot comment on it .
News
2027: Mandate Group Endorses ex Abia Speaker Chinedum Orji for Ikwuano/Umuahia Fed Constituency Seat
The Ikuku 2027 Mandate Group has endorsed former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, as its preferred candidate to represent Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2027.
In a statement titled, “Representation with Experience, Legislation with Results: The Ikwuano/Umuahia Compact for 2027,” the group said its position followed what it described as a careful assessment of aspirants seeking to represent the constituency.
According to the group, Orji stood out on the basis of his experience, capacity, character and record of public service, having previously served as Leader and Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly.
The group said its support for the former Speaker was based on what it described as a desire to take tested legislative experience to the National Assembly.
“We are presenting Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji to represent our Federal Constituency in 2027. This is not a campaign of noise. It is a campaign of structure, law, and delivery,” the group stated.
It said Orji’s experience in presiding over legislative debates, passing budgets and exercising oversight over the executive would equip him to effectively represent the constituency in Abuja.
The group outlined security, economic relief, youth employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and transparency as key areas of its proposed legislative agenda for the constituency.
On security, it said Orji would support legislation aimed at strengthening community policing, local security architecture and federal intervention against kidnapping and violent crime across Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Umuahia South.
The group also said he would focus on legislation and oversight aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, improving access to credit for small and medium-scale enterprises and protecting households through scrutiny of policies affecting fuel and electricity costs.
On youth development, the group said the proposed agenda would seek to connect young people in the constituency to federal employment, entrepreneurship and skills-development programmes, including initiatives of the National Directorate of Employment and the Bank of Industry.
It added that education and healthcare would also feature prominently, with plans to advocate increased intervention in schools, expand access to scholarships and bursaries, and pursue improvements in primary healthcare and federal health infrastructure across the three local government areas.
The Ikuku 2027 Mandate Group further said Orji would use legislative engagement, budgetary advocacy and oversight to pursue federal road, electrification and water projects in the constituency.
“A legislator does not build a road, but he fights for it in the budget and monitors it,” the group stated, adding that quarterly reports on approved projects and their implementation would form part of its proposed accountability framework.
On agriculture, the group said the agenda would focus on policies supporting agro-processing, storage facilities, access to agricultural grants and improved market access for farmers, particularly in Ikwuano.
It also promised an open and accessible representation model, including annual scorecards, town-hall meetings across the three LGAs and a public tracker for constituency interventions.
The group said women, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups would also feature in its inclusion agenda, alongside support for women-owned businesses and girls’ education.
It further argued that the constituency deserved stronger federal presence, including more intervention programmes, training centres, agencies and infrastructure projects.
According to the group, its 2027 campaign would be built around ward-level engagement, policy town halls and what it described as data-driven voter outreach.
“Sloganeering gets attention. Campaigning gets results. And with Chinedum, you get both,” it stated.
The group described the proposed agenda as a “compact” with the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South, built around legislation, effective oversight, accessible representation and transparency.
“This is our contract with you: Legislation that protects. Oversight that delivers. Representation that is accessible. In 2027, vote for experience that has led, and leadership that will legislate,” the group stated.
It adopted the campaign message: “Ikwuano/Umuahia First. Experience That Works.”
The statement reads in full
REPRESENTATION WITH EXPERIENCE, LEGISLATION WITH RESULTS: The Ikwuano/Umuahia Compact for 2027″
BY IKUKU 2027 MANDATE GROUP
1. THE VERDICT AFTER SCRUTINY
After a careful examination and scrutiny of all those aspiring to represent Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, and after weighing verifiable empirical indices of service, capacity, and character, one name stands clearly above the rest: Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji. He stands out as the most suitable because he has distinguished himself as a man of independent mind, tested experience, natural charisma, loyal followership, and above all, a human heart that beats for the people. In a race where many talk, he has a record to show.
2. THE MANDATE
We are presenting Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji to represent our Federal Constituency in 2027. This is not a campaign of noise. It is a campaign of structure, law, and delivery. Having served as Leader and Speaker at the subnational level, he understands how to turn the voice of the people into laws that actually work.
3. WHY EXPERIENCE MATTERS
As former Leader and Speaker, Chinedum presided over debates, passed budgets, and held the executive to account. That is the experience we are taking to Abuja: the skill to draft bills, build consensus across party lines, and ensure our constituency is not just present, but influential in the National Assembly.
4. SECURITY OF LIVES AND PROPERTY
For us, the first duty is safety. Chinedum will sponsor and support legislation to strengthen community policing, support local security architecture, and increase federal intervention against kidnapping and violent crime across Ikwuano and the two Umuahia LGAs. A safe constituency is a productive constituency.
5. THE ECONOMY AND COST OF LIVING
Food, transport, and power costs are biting our people. His focus will be on laws that reduce the cost of doing business for our traders in Umuahia markets, support SMEs with access to credit, and protect households through oversight of fuel subsidy reforms and electricity tariff structures. We are legislating relief, not just talking about it.
6. JOBS, YOUTH AND SKILLS
Youth unemployment is not a slogan to Chinedum. It is a policy problem. He will push for a Federal Constituency Skills and Entrepreneurship Act to link our young people to NDE, BOI, and digital job programs. Internships, vocational centers, and startup support will be tracked quarterly and reported back to the people.
7. EDUCATION AS A FOUNDATION
From primary schools in Ikwuano to tertiary access in Umuahia, education must work. He will advocate for increased UBEC and TETFund releases to our schools, sponsor bills for STEM (Science , Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and vocational education, and establish a transparent constituency scholarship and bursary scheme tied to merit and need.
8. HEALTHCARE THAT REACHES YOU
Our PHCs must have drugs, staff, and power. Chinedum will use legislative oversight to ensure NHIA ( National Health Insurance Authority) enrollment drives reach our wards, push for constituency health bills, and lobby for federal health infrastructure upgrades in our three LGAs. No mother should die giving life.
9. POWER AND INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH LAW
A legislator does not build a road, but he fights for it in the budget and monitors it. Chinedum will lobby for the inclusion of key Ikwuano-Umuahia roads, rural electrification, and water projects in federal budgets, and he will publish quarterly reports on what was approved and what was delivered. Oversight is his promise.
10. AGRICULTURE AND MARKET ACCESS
Ikwuano’s farmland and Umuahia’s markets are economic engines. He will support legislation for agro-processing, storage facilities, and easier access to federal agricultural grants. We will connect farmers to markets and reduce post-harvest losses through policy, not promises.
11. GOOD GOVERNANCE AND TRANSPARENCY
Having been Speaker, Chinedum knows how budgets are padded and projects disappear. He will run an open office: annual scorecards, town halls in all three LGAs, and a public tracker for all constituency interventions. The people must see where the money goes.
12. WOMEN AND INCLUSION
Legislation must reflect everyone. He will champion bills that support women in business, protect girls’ education, and ensure 35% inclusion of women and PWDs in constituency appointments and programs. Representation without inclusion is incomplete.
13. FEDERAL PRESENCE FOR OUR CONSTITUENCY
We deserve more federal projects and institutions. Chinedum will use his legislative relationships to attract agencies, training centers, and intervention programs to Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South. Our size and capital city status must translate to federal advantage.
14. CAMPAIGNS, NOT JUST SLOGANS
Let’s be clear: electioneering is more than chants. This campaign will be built on ward-to-ward engagement, policy town halls, and data-driven voter outreach. Yes, we will have a message you can remember. But behind every slogan will be a bill number, a budget line, and a plan. Sloganeering gets attention. Campaigning gets results. And with Chinedum, you get both.
15. THE COMPACT
This is our contract with you: Legislation that protects. Oversight that delivers. Representation that is accessible. In 2027, vote for experience that has led, and leadership that will legislate.
“Ikwuano/Umuahia First. Experience That Works.”
Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, Member representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as “responsive leadership” following the Federal Government’s decision to accelerate implementation of the 2026 budget.
Speaking on Magic FM, Aba, on Thursday, Ikwechegh said the renewed push to release funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies demonstrated that the President listens to the legislature.
“Mr. President has shown he is a listening President who has the interest of the nation at heart. He did not see our concerns as opposition. He saw them as part of our job to ensure Nigerians get value for money,” the lawmaker stated.
Ikwechegh had earlier drawn national attention after raising a motion on the floor of the House over delays in budget releases despite appropriations passed by the National Assembly. The intervention sparked debate among lawmakers over the slow pace of capital project execution.
The Federal Government has since announced measures to fast-track releases under the 2026 Appropriation Act, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion, with ₦32.2 trillion earmarked for capital expenditure.
According to Ikwechegh, legislative oversight is most effective when it produces concrete results.
“Our job is to speak firmly when policies are not working, and to also acknowledge when government takes corrective action. That is how the executive and legislature serve the people together,” he said.
The Abia lawmaker stressed that the real test of the budget lies in delivery — completed roads, functional hospitals, jobs for youths, and improved services across constituencies.
He expressed optimism that with improved coordination between the National Assembly and the Presidency, Nigerians will increasingly begin to feel the impact of the 2026 budget as implementation gathers momentum.
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