Peter Obi has questioned Tinubu on transparency and accountability over the N54.2 trillion budget.
Newsone Nigeria reports that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, says there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase in the 2025 national budget.
The statement comes after President Bola Tinubu increased the appropriation bill for the 2025 fiscal year from N49.7 trillion to N54.2 trillion on Thursday, February 6, 2025. Tinubu announced the increment in separate letters, which he forwarded to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Reacting to the development in a post on the micro-blogging site, X formerly known as Twitter, Peter Obi said Nigerians need to know how the resources generated are being allocated for the sake of transparency and accountability.
The former Anambra State Governor said this was to ensure that they were judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the people.
Obi said Nigerians were still waiting for a detailed account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget passed in December 2023.
The former Presidential candidate further called on the National Assembly to seize this opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget.
Yesterday, I read about the increase in the Budget of Restoration to ₦54 trillion due to increased revenue.
While the sources of this revenue were detailed, there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase. For transparency and accountability sake…
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) February 7, 2025
His words: “Yesterday, I read about the increase in the Budget of Restoration to N54 trillion due to increased revenue.
“While the sources of this revenue were detailed, there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase. For transparency and accountability sake Nigerians need to know how the resources generated from them are being allocated to ensure that they are judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the people.
“Such expenditures should be directed toward critical areas of development; education, healthcare, security, and poverty alleviation.
“Furthermore, Nigerians are still waiting for a detailed account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget passed in December 2023 to ensure that it has been properly utilized for the country’s future development and the well-being of its citizens.
“I call on the National Assembly to seize this opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget of Renewed Hope budget.
“Transparency in this regard is crucial for ensuring accountability, learning from past budgets, and making informed decisions for the nation’s progress.
“As we work towards passing the Budget of Restoration for 2025, let us uphold openness, accountability, and the welfare of the Nigerian people. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and the future of our great nation. -PO”
