ABUJA — The hallowed chambers of the National Assembly witnessed a sharp departure from legislative decorum on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, as Senators Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) and Rufai Hanga (Kano Central) engaged in a fierce shouting match during a joint budget defence session.
The confrontation, which brought a temporary halt to the scrutiny of the Ministry of Works’ 2026 budget, saw the two lawmakers trade personal barbs over “ranking” status and the size of their respective electoral mandates. The drama unfolded in the presence of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, whose presentation on the ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was momentarily overshadowed by the row.
The Spark: A Question of Procedure
The tension ignited when Senator Hanga, presiding as the Vice-Chairman of the Committee in the absence of Chairman Mpigi Barinada, attempted to regulate the contributions of members. Nwebonyi, apparently aggrieved by the coordination of the session, challenged Hanga’s authority, leading to an immediate escalation.
“I am a ranking senator!” Nwebonyi reportedly barked, asserting his legislative seniority. Hanga, representing the massive voting bloc of Kano Central, fired back with equal vitriol: “My votes are ten times yours! Don’t come here and talk about ranking when you don’t have the numbers.”
‘Na Me, No Be Any Other Person’
The exchange occurred against the backdrop of Minister Umahi’s own recent controversy over “punitive” land acquisitions for the coastal road. While the senators argued over “votes,” Umahi sat through the session, fresh from a viral video where he “bragged” about seizing land from a woman who “made trouble.”
Critics argue that the “ego trip” in the Senate Committee is a symptom of the “Regime Security” culture recently decried by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. “They are fighting over who has more votes while the middle class is vanishing and petrol is nearing ₦1,000 per litre,” one civil society observer noted.
The ‘Rigging’ Anxiety and 2027
The “my votes are bigger” argument has touched a nerve, given the ongoing protests at the National Assembly gates led by Mr Peter Obi.
- Electronic Transmission: Protesters are demanding that the Senate reverse its rejection of mandatory electronic result transmission.
- Transparency: Youths at the gate, inspired by Zekeri Idris, have asked why senators are bragging about votes they are reportedly unwilling to protect through technology.
Selective Funding and ‘Treasury Parasites’
The budget defence also touched on the stark funding disparities in the Tinubu-led administration. While the Ministry of Works is debating multi-trillion naira highways, the Ministry of Health recently revealed it received only ₦36 million of its ₦218 billion capital budget.
PDP chieftain Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has labeled such priorities as the work of “treasury parasites,” a sentiment that was reinforced by the British vlogger Indigo Traveller’s recent report on the demolition of a ₦100 million orphanage in Lagos without notice.
Restoration of Order
Order was eventually restored after other members of the joint committee intervened, allowing Umahi to continue his defence. However, the “Hanga-Nwebonyi Clash” has become a viral symbol of the “mutilated” state of Nigerian democracy as the 2027 “Patriotic Assignment” approaches.
