Breaking: 3 of Tinubu's Ministers Drilled Over 2025 Budget Controversy as Reps Take Action
- House of Representatives lawmakers, grilled Finance Minister Wale Edun, Budget Minister Atiku Bagudu and NRS Chairman Zach Adedeji over poor 2025 budget implementation
- Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abubakar Bichi, questioned zero capital releases despite excess revenue performance in 2025
- Federal lawmakers, rejected the ministers’ explanations, demanded accountability and adjourned the session amid heated exchanges
FCT, Abuja - A tense session unfolded on Wednesday, February 25, at the House of Representatives as lawmakers questioned key members of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic team over alleged failures in the implementation of the 2025 budget and the implications for the proposed 2026 estimates.
Those grilled by the House Committee on Appropriation included the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and the Chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service, Zach Adedeji.
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Zero capital releases raise concerns
The lawmakers expressed concern over what they described as zero releases for capital components of the 2025 budget, a situation they said had stalled projects and weakened economic activity across ministries, departments and agencies.
Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, said the meeting was convened to interrogate the lack of capital funding despite improved government revenues.
“This is for us to study, consider and approve the request. We decided to engage the economic team of the President to discuss the previous performance of the 2025, as well as the proposed 2026,” Bichi said.
Revenue growth clashes with spending reality
Bichi noted that government earnings in 2025 exceeded projections, stressing the need for clarity from revenue authorities.
“We have decided to engage the NRS Chairman to shed more light on the revenue in terms of the 2026 projections. In 2025 we achieved about ₦28 trillion in our revenue, from the target of ₦25 trillion. We need to have more information from you so that Nigerians who are watching will be informed,” he added.
Lawmakers also questioned why capital projects recorded no progress even after the National Assembly approved a request by the executive for ₦1.15 trillion to support parts of the 2025 capital budget, Punch reported.
Edun defends fiscal decisions
Responding to the lawmakers’ concerns, Finance Minister Edun attributed the situation to reforms aimed at ending what he described as unsustainable fiscal practices.
“We stopped the unsustainable methodology of printing money, whether to pay debt service, or contractors or meet other obligations of government,” he said.
Edun further explained that adjustments to Nigeria’s debt profile and exchange rate regime significantly affected fiscal operations, adding that some liabilities previously excluded were formally recognised.
Bagudu shifts focus to budget restructuring
On his part, Bagudu said discussions with both chambers of the National Assembly allowed for a rollover of capital expenditure.
He explained that about 70 per cent of the 2025 capital allocation was moved into the 2026 budget proposal currently before lawmakers.
Bagudu also distanced his ministry from implementation delays, saying,
“The Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, including the Budget Office, relies on the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and Ministry of Finance, for data about budget implementation.”
Revenue service reports surplus collection
Defending his agency’s performance, NRS Chairman Adedeji told the committee that revenue targets were surpassed in 2025.
According to him, the service generated ₦28.23 trillion against a target of ₦25.2 trillion for the year, Vanguard reported.
Tempers flare as session turns rowdy
The explanations failed to placate several lawmakers, who openly expressed frustration during the session.
Some members shouted for the resignation of the Finance Minister, the Budget Minister and the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, accusing them of incompetence.
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To restore order, Bichi appealed for calm and proposed an adjournment of the sitting pending the appearance of the Minister of State for Finance.
The committee subsequently adjourned proceedings until Thursday, February 26, at 1pm.
Broader impact on ministries and contractors
Lawmakers recalled earlier disclosures by the Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, who said his ministry received only ₦38 million out of the ₦286 billion allocated in the 2025 budget.
Several ministers and agency heads have similarly complained of zero capital releases, a situation lawmakers blamed for the worsening state of the economy.
Outside the legislature, the Association of Indigenous Contractors in Nigeria had earlier protested at the Ministry of Finance, demanding payment of over ₦4 trillion for contracts executed under the 2024 budget.
Electoral bill: Deputy spokesperson speaks
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has played down concerns over Tuesday’s walkout by opposition lawmakers during deliberations on the Electoral Amendment Bill.
Agbese described the action as a recognised parliamentary practice rather than a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Source: Legit.ng
