Obi Says Off-budget Spending Collapse of Accountability
NDC presidential candidate insists funds could transform education, other sectors
Alliance argues practice undermines fiscal credibility
FG declares road rehabilitation will improve military operations, boost regional trade
Dangote: My company undertaking over N3tn roads construction nationwide
Emmanuel Addeh, Chuks Okocha, James Emejo and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, at the weekend defended the federal government’s investment in road infrastructure, saying President Bola Tinubu is using strategic highway projects to tackle insecurity and improve military operations.
Also, the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, yesterday, renewed his call for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation over alleged N8.83 trillion expenditure in the 2025 fiscal year, which is not reflected in the approved federal budget.
However, THISDAY learnt that the alleged spending outside budgetary provision flagged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) may have been linked to the ‘Abacha Loot’ and other such recovered funds, which the partnering foreign nations insist must be tied to specific projects, such as Second Niger Bridge, Lagos Ibadan Expressway and Abuja Kadun highway among others.
Specifically, Umahi said the rehabilitation of the Bama-Banki and Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala roads in Borno State, among several others scattered nationwide, formed part of Tinubu’s overall strategy to tackle insecurity through critical infrastructure development.
Speaking at the official flag-off of the projects at Muna City Gate along the Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gamboru Road, Umahi said the roads would not only reconnect communities and stimulate economic activities but also enhance military operations in the North-east.
He noted that Tinubu had demonstrated the political will to revive long-abandoned strategic road projects that previous administrations were unable to complete, a statement by Francis Nwaze, the Senior Special Assistant to the minister on media, said.
According to him, the Kano-Maiduguri highway, parts of which were awarded as far back as 2006, as well as the Bama-Banki and Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala roads awarded in 2021, are now being actualised under the current administration.
The minister stressed that the projects were designed to support the government’s security objectives by improving access to border communities and strengthening logistics for security agencies.
“These road infrastructure projects are part of the larger programme of President Tinubu in fighting insecurity. When these projects are completed, our people in the North-east will benefit because they lead to Chad and Cameroon. But the greater interest is that our military forces will have roads to combat whatever might be left of the insurgency,” he added.
Representing Tinubu at the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima described the projects as infrastructure of strategic national importance, saying poor roads also constitute a security challenge.
According to him, roads that are difficult for citizens to use equally hamper the ability of security personnel to patrol and secure affected areas. Shettima commended Umahi and the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, for driving the implementation of the projects.
He noted that the strategic road corridors would improve access to neighbouring Cameroon and the Republic of Chad, creating new opportunities for trans-Saharan trade and expanding cross-border commerce.
He called on all stakeholders to work closely with the people of the North-east to ensure the successful execution of the projects, while assuring Nigerians that his administration would continue to invest in infrastructure that stimulates economic growth and national development.
In his remarks, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, described the commencement of the projects as another milestone in the state’s recovery from years of insurgency.
He said the roads would reconnect communities, facilitate the movement of people and goods, improve access to markets and essential services, and further strengthen ongoing efforts to restore normalcy across the state.
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, attributed the commencement of the projects to the collaboration between the federal government and the private sector.
According to him, the minister remains deeply involved in project execution and regularly engages contractors to ensure quality and timely completion.
He disclosed that the Dangote Group is currently constructing about 12 road projects across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, covering more than 1,000 kilometres at a combined investment exceeding N3 trillion.
Dangote added that the company remained committed to supporting the government’s infrastructure agenda and was capable of taking on additional road projects.
“Altogether, these projects span over 1,000 kilometres, representing a combined investment of more than N3 trillion in high-quality concrete roads. I want to assure the government that we are a highly tax-paying company and we can take on more roads,” Dangote added.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, described the road as historic and commended Tinubu for prioritising its rehabilitation after years of neglect.
Similarly, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, applauded the cordial working relationship between the Federal Ministry of Works and the National Assembly, saying it had contributed to smoother implementation of infrastructure projects.
In the meantime, Obi has alleged that the growing revelations of “grand corruption” under the current administration has made Tinubu’s continued stay in office untenable.
Besides, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) also expressed concern over the revelations that arose from the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Consultation, which indicated that public expenditure equivalent to about two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product was not reflected in the country’s official budget documents.
In a similar vein, Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE), yesterday, criticised the federal government’s reported N8.8 trillion expenditure outside the approved budget framework.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, in a statement on X, said the development reinforced his earlier position that the Tinubu administration had failed in governance, accountability, and citizens’ welfare.
He wrote, “The grand corruption being revealed daily in this regime supports why the President should resign.”
Obi said the alleged expenditure outside the budget, attributed to findings from IMF’s consultation report, represented a grave violation of public finance management principles and raised serious concerns about transparency in government.
He stated, “The recent report from the IMF consultation further raises concerns about the scale of grand corruption under the Tinubu government.
“The IMF now reveals that about N8.83 trillion in expenditure undertaken in 2025 is not reflected in the budget.
“This expenditure is not budgeted and is therefore outside legislative oversight or administrative scrutiny.”
Obi described the figure as alarming, stating that it represents a significant proportion of Nigeria’s economy and exceeded critical spending allocations.
He said, “This is horrible. N8.83 trillion is approximately two per cent of our GDP and over 35 per cent of Nigeria’s 2025 N23.96 trillion capital project budget. In fact, the amount exceeds the actual capital funding released for 2025.
“It is more than the total combined budget for education (N3.52 trillion) and health (N2.38 trillion).”
The opposition leader stated that prudent deployment of such funds could have transformed key sectors of the economy and improved the lives of millions of Nigerians.
He stressed, “If such an amount were properly utilised and accounted for, it could transform Nigeria’s health and education sectors.
“It could also foster the creation of hundreds of small industries, creating jobs for thousands of graduates and laying a solid foundation for economic development. But we cannot account for it.”
He further alleged that the expenditure was not an isolated occurrence but part of a recurring pattern of financial mismanagement.
“This is not an isolated incident; it is part of a pattern of grand corruption that characterises this administration,” he added.
Obi warned that the alleged erosion of due process in public finance posed a threat to national stability, insisting that corruption has become Nigeria’s greatest challenge.
He stated, “We have much to worry about concerning the state of corruption under President Tinubu. The type of corruption that involves blatant disregard for fundamental rules of public finance management poses a severe threat to national security and the stability of Nigeria.
“The capture of the Nigerian state and the plunder of its resources undermine the foundation of state stability, deepen poverty and risk state failure.”
He accused the administration of failing to channel public resources towards addressing poverty and infrastructure deficits.
Obi said, “With increasing poverty and an urgent need for major improvements in social and physical infrastructure, a responsible and responsive government would ensure that N8.83 trillion is wisely used to address these issues. But this is not the case with the Tinubu administration.”
Reiterating his position that the president should vacate office, Obi maintained that recent developments had strengthened the case for resignation.
He said, “A few days ago, I called on President Tinubu to resign from office due to incompetence, lack of capacity, lack of compassion and failure to deliver on his campaign promises.
“Some people thought this call was excessive, but with the daily revelations of widespread corruption in this administration and its total lack of commitment to the welfare and security of Nigerian citizens, the only reasonable action is for President Tinubu to resign.”
Obi also called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from the government through lawful means.
He said, “The breakdown of basic due process under Tinubu and the continuous evidence of rampant looting of Nigerian finances highlight the urgent need for greater accountability.
“It is now time for Nigerian citizens to step up within the law and hold this administration responsible. “A new Nigeria is possible.”
HURIWA: Nigeria Can’t Ignore This Fiscal Emergency
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expressed concern over the revelations from IMF Article IV Consultation that public expenditure of about two per cent of Nigeria’s GDP was not reflected in the official budget documents.
According to a statement by the National Coordinator of HURIWA, “If these revelations are accurate, they point to one of the gravest cases of fiscal opacity in Nigeria’s democratic history.
“A constitutional democracy cannot permit trillions of naira in public expenditure to exist outside the statutory budgetary framework without legislative oversight, public accountability and constitutional scrutiny.”
The group said the allegations, which had also been highlighted by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, demanded far more than political exchanges or official denials.
HURIWA said, “They require a transparent, independent and forensic investigation to determine whether public funds were expended in violation of Nigeria’s constitution, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Public Procurement Act and other extant financial regulations.”
HURIWA also found the response credited to Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to be insufficient and unsatisfactory considering the gravity of the allegations.
Rather than relying on broad assurances or technical explanations, the group said the federal government owed Nigerians a comprehensive public disclosure, backed by verifiable documentary evidence, detailing the legal authority, appropriation approvals, expenditure records and audit trail for every kobo allegedly spent outside the published budget framework.
Alliance: Practice Undermines Fiscal Credibility
Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE) criticised the federal government’s reported N8.8 trillion expenditure outside the approved budget framework,
AERE warned that the practice posed a serious threat to fiscal credibility, macroeconomic stability, and investor confidence.
In its July policy brief, the alliance described the off-budget spending, estimated by IMF to be about two per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as more than an accounting issue.
AERE said the alleged wrongful expenditure reflected a deeper governance and transparency challenge confronting public finance management.
The think-tank stated that while the government defended the expenditure on the grounds that it was backed by supplementary appropriations and capital rollovers, such explanations failed to address the broader concerns surrounding transparency and the integrity of the country’s fiscal framework.
According to the alliance, IMF’s concern extended beyond the legality of the expenditure to the fact that spending outside the official budget obscures the country’s actual borrowing requirements and weakens confidence in fiscal reporting.
It warned that once the omitted expenditure was incorporated into public accounts, fiscal deficit for 2025 rose from the officially reported 4.4 per cent of GDP to about 6.4 per cent, exceeding the ECOWAS fiscal convergence benchmark of three per cent.