The Minister of Works, David Umahi, clashed with Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, during a Senate budget defence session on Wednesday.
The confrontation arose amid questioning over the N15 trillion Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project. Senator Oshiomhole pressed Minister Umahi on transparency in funding and delays affecting the project.
A visibly frustrated Umahi accused Oshiomhole of using “foul language” and showing disrespect during the session.
Both officials are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
A tense moment unfolded at the National Assembly on Wednesday as Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, engaged in a heated verbal exchange during a Senate budget defence session.
The confrontation occurred amid legislative scrutiny of the proposed N15 trillion Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project — one of the Federal Government’s flagship infrastructure initiatives currently before lawmakers for funding consideration.
Proceedings grew strained after Senator Oshiomhole raised concerns over issues bordering on funding transparency, project structuring, and reported delays associated with the coastal highway development.
His line of questioning, delivered during the oversight session, prompted visible reactions within the chamber.
In response, Minister Umahi, who appeared visibly agitated, accused the senator of deploying what he described as “foul language” and exhibiting conduct he considered disrespectful in the course of the engagement.
He insisted that the ministry remained accountable and was prepared to provide clarifications within the bounds of legislative procedure.
Despite the exchange, the session continued, with other lawmakers contributing to deliberations on budgetary allocations, project timelines, and financing models tied to the coastal highway project.
Both officials are senior figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a detail observers note underscores the intensity of legislative oversight even within party ranks.
Budget defence sessions at the National Assembly form part of statutory appropriation processes, allowing ministries, departments, and agencies to justify spending proposals, respond to lawmakers’ inquiries, and provide implementation updates on ongoing federal projects.
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is projected to span several coastal states and is positioned by the government as a transformative transport corridor expected to boost trade, tourism, and regional connectivity.
No official disciplinary action or procedural motion was announced in relation to the exchange as of press time.
Headlinenews.news Special report
