Tensions flared on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, as lawmakers erupted in a heated dispute over which committee should investigate alleged irregularities at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex. The uproar forced the House into a closed-door executive session.
The controversy began when Ademorin Kuye moved a motion of urgent public importance alleging illegal allocations and the sale of federal assets at the complex, and proposed an ad-hoc committee under the oversight of the House Committee on Public Assets.
Opponents, however, including members aligned with the House Committee on Commerce, argued vehemently that the matter fell within their jurisdiction as it relates to commercial operations of the facility. The dispute unravelled into open conflict when Chairman Francis Waive raised a point of order, insisting that House rules placed the matter under commerce oversight.
As voices grew louder and chambers more chaotic, the Deputy Speaker intervened to call an executive session, citing the breakdown of parliamentary order. Meanwhile, lawmakers refused to entertain any other motions, flooding the debates with shouts of “nay” and heavy opposition, thereby stalling the House’s legislative timetable.
Compounding the disorder, some legislators raised broader concerns, demanding immediate payment of indigenous contractors and refusing to proceed with further business until their demands were addressed. The motion’s rejection underscored deeper frustrations within the House over oversight, committee jurisdictions and the handling of public assets.
The session ended in limbo, with the House adjourning until the following Tuesday and the executive session continuing behind closed doors to craft a resolution path. Observers say the incident highlights ongoing governance challenges and committee rivalries within Nigeria’s legislative arm—at a time when public trust in asset oversight is under scrutiny.
