Hon. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, who represents Ogbomoso North, South, and Orire Federal Constituency of Oyo State moved a motion to counter what was described as “misleading international narratives” about religious killings in Nigeria. The motion was seconded by Hon. Muktar Tolani Shagaya, representing Ilorin West/ Asa Federal Constituency.
This follows recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for alleged violations of religious freedom. Alao-Akala said the motion was necessary to correct false impressions abroad that Nigeria is divided along religious lines or that the government tolerates religious persecution.
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr Shamsudeen Ogunjimi, to clear all outstanding debts owed to indigenous contractors and commence full implementation of the 2025 budget.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance raised by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda. Chinda informed the House that local contractors had stormed the National Assembly complex earlier in the day, staging a protest that disrupted movement in and out of the premises.
Hon. Ademorin Kuye moved a motion of urgent public importance to probe into the alleged irregularities in the allocation and management of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex. Kuye, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Asset, proposed that his committee be given the mandate to carry out the investigation.
It was at this point that the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Francis Waive, raised a point of order that the motion in question falls under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Commerce.
However, Waive’s point of order led to a heated debate as lawmakers argued over which committee should chair the investigation between the Committees on Public Assets and Commerce. The motion was eventually rejected after a closed session.
