The National Assembly and civic organization BudgIT clashed on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, over allegations that lawmakers inserted 11,122 projects worth N6.93 trillion into the 2025 national budget. BudgIT claimed the projects, added without executive approval, were misaligned with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021–2025) and national priorities, accusing the legislature of turning the budget process into a tool for political exploitation. The organization detailed that 238 projects, each valued above N5 billion and totaling N2.29 trillion, were inserted with little justification, alongside 984 projects worth N1.71 trillion and 1,119 projects valued between N500 million and N1 billion, amounting to N641.38 billion. BudgIT highlighted that 3,573 constituency projects worth N653.19 billion and 1,972 senatorial projects worth N444.04 billion were included, with notable anomalies like N393.29 billion for 1,477 streetlight projects, N505.79 billion for 2,122 ICT projects, N114.53 billion for 538 boreholes, and N6.74 billion for “empowerment of traditional rulers.” The Ministry of Agriculture’s budget was inflated by 39% with 4,371 projects worth N1.72 trillion, while the Ministries of Science and Technology and Budget and Economic Planning saw insertions of N994.98 billion and N1.1 trillion, respectively. BudgIT criticized agencies like the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, for being assigned unrelated projects, such as N3 billion for utility vehicles and N1.5 billion for rural electrification, leading to waste and inefficiency. The organization expressed concern over the Presidency’s silence despite its “The Budget is a Mess” campaign, calling for reforms, a Supreme Court ruling on the legislature’s powers, and investigations by the EFCC and ICPC.
The Senate and House of Representatives swiftly dismissed the allegations, asserting their constitutional authority to amend the budget. Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Chairman Yemi Adaramodu stated that the N54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill, passed on February 13, 2025, was thoroughly interrogated and matched the executive’s revised proposal, labeling the padding claims as “spurious” and politically motivated. House Deputy Chairman of the Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, Clement Jimbo, called BudgIT’s allegations “completely false” and rooted in ignorance, emphasizing that the National Assembly’s role is to review and amend the executive’s budget estimates to reflect Nigerians’ aspirations. He explained that nearly 200 specialized committees scrutinize budgets during “budget defense” sessions, adjusting allocations based on agency performance, and denied that individual lawmakers could divert funds for personal gain. Jimbo cited the legislature’s rejection of a proposed 2.5% VAT increase as evidence of its authority to modify executive proposals, urging the public to understand the legislative process and reject misleading narratives.
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