Alleged N90 Billion Deal Unveiled Amid Fierce Clash Over Tinubu Loans; Senator Kawu Explodes: 'I Cannot Be Blackmailed!'

‘I Cannot Be Blackmailed!’ — Senator Kawu Explodes As Senate Leadership Unveils Alleged N90 Billion Deal Amid Fierce Clash Over Tinubu Loans, Unpaid Contractors

A dramatic confrontation reportedly erupted behind closed doors in the Senate on Tuesday as Senator Kawu Sumaila of Kano South locked horns with the leadership of the National Assembly over the state of government projects, unpaid contractors, and the implementation of loans approved for President Bola Tinubu's administration.

What began as a routine executive session reportedly escalated into a heated exchange after Senator Kawu openly questioned the impact of billions of naira in loans approved by the Senate, arguing that many infrastructure projects across the country had stalled despite the massive borrowing.

According to sources familiar with the proceedings, Kawu expressed frustration over what he described as the failure of the government to settle contractors handling critical projects nationwide. He reportedly warned fellow lawmakers that the situation could become a major political liability ahead of future elections.

The senator was said to have told colleagues that numerous contractors had abandoned project sites because payments had not been made despite the National Assembly's approval of substantial loan requests by President Tinubu.

Sources quoted Kawu as saying that many lawmakers, particularly members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), would struggle to defend the administration's performance before voters if visible development projects remained incomplete.

The comments reportedly triggered an immediate reaction from members of the Senate leadership, who challenged the senator's position and raised issues surrounding his political relationship with the administration.

As tensions intensified, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reportedly reminded lawmakers of what they described as concessions and opportunities allegedly extended to Senator Kawu following his defection to the APC.

According to accounts of the meeting, the Senate leadership revealed details of an alleged arrangement involving the senator, the Presidency, and Senate authorities.

The leadership reportedly told senators that President Bola Tinubu had facilitated an ecological contract valued at approximately N90 billion in Kano State for projects linked to Kawu's constituency interests.

They further claimed that following the death of former Anambra senator, Ifeanyi Ubah, President Tinubu directed the Senate leadership to allocate the influential Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream chairmanship position to Kawu.

The revelations reportedly stunned several lawmakers present during the session and shifted the focus of the debate from government project implementation to questions surrounding political patronage and internal Senate dynamics.

Sources said Senator Kawu strongly rejected attempts to use the alleged arrangements against him, insisting that his concerns were based on the realities facing Nigerians and the state of public projects across the country.

The senator reportedly maintained that raising concerns about abandoned projects and unpaid contractors should not be interpreted as an attack on the administration but as a legitimate oversight responsibility of lawmakers.

At one point during the confrontation, Kawu was said to have declared that he could not be intimidated or blackmailed into silence over issues affecting his constituents and the nation.

His position reportedly deepened the divide within the chamber, with some senators supporting his concerns about project implementation while others defended the administration's efforts amid economic challenges.

The reported clash comes amid increasing public scrutiny of Nigeria's rising debt profile and repeated questions regarding the implementation of projects tied to government borrowing.

Over the past year, the National Assembly has approved several loan requests aimed at funding infrastructure development, social intervention programmes, and economic reforms.

However, complaints from contractors regarding delayed payments and abandoned projects have continued to surface in various parts of the country, raising concerns about execution, accountability, and transparency.

Political observers say the confrontation reflects growing anxiety among lawmakers ahead of future electoral contests, as many senators and House of Representatives members seek tangible projects they can point to as evidence of performance.

The extraordinary exchange highlights what analysts describe as increasing tensions within the ruling party and the National Assembly over governance, project delivery, and political expectations.

While the Senate session was held behind closed doors, details emerging from the meeting have sparked widespread discussions about the relationship between the executive and legislative branches, the allocation of strategic committee positions, and the management of public funds.

As public attention turns to the claims and counterclaims arising from the meeting, pressure is likely to mount on both the Senate leadership and relevant government agencies to provide greater clarity on project funding, contractor payments, and the utilisation of approved loans.

For now, the reported declaration by Senator Kawu — “I cannot be blackmailed” — has become the defining phrase of a dramatic Senate showdown that has exposed deep-seated disagreements at the highest levels of Nigeria's political establishment.