Reps in rowdy session over motion to summon Tinubu

The House of Representatives degenerated into a rowdy session on Wednesday as lawmakers clashed over a proposal to summon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appear before the Green Chamber.

The row began when Benedict Etanabene, the member representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State, raised a point of privilege to draw the attention of the House to a June 29 circular issued by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi.

Etanabene argued that the circular had generated widespread concern and warranted urgent legislative scrutiny. He maintained that, given the significance of the directive, the House should invite President Tinubu to appear before lawmakers to explain the issues arising from it.

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His proposal immediately divided the chamber, with members taking sharply different positions.

While some lawmakers backed the move, arguing that the National Assembly has a constitutional duty to hold the executive accountable on matters of public finance and governance, others insisted that summoning the President was unnecessary and inconsistent with established constitutional practice.

The disagreement quickly escalated into a heated exchange, with lawmakers shouting across the chamber and repeatedly interrupting one another as they sought to make their points. The commotion forced the presiding officer to intervene several times in a bid to restore order.