A dramatic shouting match erupted in the House of Representatives on July 8, 2026, as lawmakers clashed over a motion to summon President Bola Tinubu to explain delays in the 2026 budget implementation, worsening insecurity, and economic challenges. A viral video captured lawmakers shouting "Sit Down! Shut Up!" and "Don't cross me!" as tempers flared on the floor of the Green Chamber.
Motion sparks chaos
The chaos began when Hon. Mascot Alex Ikwechegh, representing Aba North and South Federal Constituencies of Abia State under the Labour Party, presented a motion on the urgent need to address poor funding of appropriated budgets and delayed releases of capital funds. During his presentation, Ikwechegh called for President Tinubu to personally appear before lawmakers, arguing that despite trillions of naira approved by the National Assembly, capital projects remained abandoned, indigenous contractors were unpaid, and insecurity continued to worsen.
"We have invited ministers, security chiefs, and members of the Economic Council," Ikwechegh said. "We want to invite the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to this hallowed chamber to explain to Nigerians why we are appropriating trillions of naira while insecurity persists and projects remain uncompleted."
Support and opposition
The proposal gained support from members across party lines. Hon. Mohammed Buba Jajere of the APC seconded the motion, while Labour Party lawmaker Amobi Godwin Ogah proposed suspending legislative activities for the week until the President honoured the invitation. However, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, an APC lawmaker from Plateau State, opposed the proposal, arguing that the House should first invite ministers and heads of MDAs responsible for budget implementation before considering summoning the President.
His remarks were met with fierce opposition, with lawmakers drowning out his voice with chants of "Sit down!", "Shut up!", and "Don't cross me!", forcing the chamber into several minutes of disorder.
Speaker rules motion out of order
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas intervened to restore order and pointed out a procedural flaw: the written version of Ikwechegh's motion only sought the establishment of an ad hoc committee to engage government agencies over budget implementation, not a summons for the President. "What you read was a complete deviation from the motion you presented to me," Abbas ruled. "It is wrong for you to attempt to bring in what is not contained here." Despite protests, the Speaker ruled the oral amendment out of order.
Motion fails, ad hoc committee approved
Following a formal division that briefly split the House and prompted a walkout by some aggrieved members, the attempt to summon President Tinubu failed. Instead, the House adopted the original motion, approving the establishment of an ad hoc committee to investigate poor implementation of the 2026 budget and summon relevant ministers and economic officials to explain delays in releasing appropriated capital funds.
The dramatic exchange has continued to generate reactions online, with many Nigerians sharing clips of the heated debate and weighing in on whether lawmakers were right to seek the President's appearance before the House.
