ABUJA — The National Assembly’s joint committee session on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, devolved into a high-stakes “clash of titans” as the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) engaged in a fierce verbal exchange over the ministry’s multi-trillion naira infrastructure projects.
The confrontation, which occurred during the 2026 budget defence, saw the soft-spoken but defiant Umahi take exception to Oshiomhole’s line of questioning, eventually leading the Minister to assert his personal and professional standing. “You cannot speak to me in that manner,” Umahi fired back. “I am a distinguished Nigerian.”
The Spark: Project Scrutiny vs. Executive Pride
The tension ignited when Oshiomhole, known for his probing and often confrontational style, reportedly questioned the prioritisation of the ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway over dilapidated internal roads in the South-South and North-Central.
- The Exchange: Oshiomhole’s remarks, which implied a lack of “human face” in the ministry’s demolitions, touched a raw nerve. Umahi, who has recently been in the eye of a storm for “bragging” about punitive land acquisitions from a woman who “made trouble,” refused to be intimidated.
- The ‘Distinguished’ Tag: By asserting his status as a “Distinguished Nigerian,” Umahi sought to remind the Committee that he is not just a minister but a former two-term governor and a senator, demanding a level of respect he felt Oshiomhole was withholding.
‘My Votes are 10 Times Yours’
The session was already volatile following an earlier, separate clash between Senators Onyekachi Nwebonyi and Rufai Hanga, where the two argued over “ranking” and electoral mandates. Hanga had told Nwebonyi, “My votes are 10 times yours,” setting a tone of “ego-driven” legislative scrutiny that dominated the afternoon.
The ‘Regime Security’ and ‘Orphanage’ Shadow
The “Distinguished” exchange between Umahi and Oshiomhole is being viewed through a wider lens of “Regime Security” and elite disconnect:
- The British Vlogger’s Outcry: The row occurred just as British vlogger Indigo Traveller went viral for condemning the demolition of a ₦100 million Lagos orphanage without notice, rendering children homeless.
- Selective Funding: Critics like Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim have pointed to the ₦15 trillion highway budget as evidence of “treasury parasites,” especially since the Ministry of Health recently revealed it received only ₦36 million for its entire 2025 capital projects.
Electoral Anxiety and 2027
The tension in the hearing room mirrors the protests outside the National Assembly gates, where Mr. Peter Obi and hundreds of youths are demanding Electoral Act reforms. Protesters have questioned why “Distinguished Nigerians” are fighting over budget optics while the national debt has hit ₦152 trillion and petrol prices are nearing ₦1,000 per litre.
As of Wednesday night, the Joint Committee has yet to pass the Works Ministry’s budget, with many expecting further fireworks as the “distinguished” elites navigate a nation currently ranked 142nd in the world for corruption.
