By Jane Okeke
The Democratic and Leadership Alliance has tackled the federal government and President Bola Tinubu over what it described as persistent under-implementation of federal budgets, selective execution of appropriated projects and mounting debts owed to contractors.
The party also raised concerns over the management of government revenues, insisting that Nigerians deserve greater transparency on the relationship between increasing federal revenue and the level of development being delivered across the country.
In a release signed by the party’s National Campaign Council Head of Media and Publicity, Dr. Tosin Odeyemi, DLA said Nigerians have experienced rising economic hardship, declining purchasing power, deteriorating infrastructure and what appears to be a troubling disconnect between budgetary promises and actual implementation under the present administration instead of the renewed prosperity promised.
According to Odeyemi, “Tinubu’s administration came into office promising economic transformation and renewed prosperity. Instead, Nigerians have experienced rising economic hardship, declining purchasing power, deteriorating infrastructure and what appears to be a troubling disconnect between budgetary promises and actual implementation.
“One of the most troubling aspects of this administration has been the persistent failure to adequately implement capital budgets. According to information available to us, none of the administration’s capital budgets since 2023 has achieved 30 percent implementation. in fact, 2025 budget did not reach 10% implementation. This situation requires urgent and independent scrutiny because budgets are not merely political promises; appropriations approved by the National Assembly have the force of law.
“In 2024, several capital and constituency projects under the Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) were reportedly poorly funded, while contractors who executed some of these projects were left waiting for payment. This was despite extending the budget till December 2025.
“The big question is, Why are contractors still protesting over unpaid projects executed for the Federal Government? Where are the funds appropriated for these projects? Where are the trillions of naira that the federal government got from FAAC? Nigerians must hold Tinubu accountable for this.
“The repeated reliance on extensions of previous budgets is another serious concern. President Tinubu’s administration sought extensions of the 2024 budget, with implementation continuing into 2025. The 2025 budget has subsequently been extended into 2026. While the 2026 budget has no way forward on its implementation till September.
“This creates serious questions about fiscal discipline and the capacity of the government to deliver on appropriated programmes within the intended financial year. A country cannot achieve meaningful development when budgets are approved but implementation is repeatedly postponed despite humongous revenue.
“This practice undermines legislative oversight and makes it difficult for citizens to properly track government spending and performance. We keep on hearing numbers that have failed to transform into any meaningful development across the country.
“The administration has undertaken painful economic reforms, most notably the removal of petrol subsidy, while government revenue has reportedly increased substantially. The Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, also announced that the country’s revenue collection for the year 2025 had been surpassed in August.
“At the same time, Nigerians have endured higher fuel prices, rising transportation costs, increased food prices, high inflation, declining household purchasing power and increasing pressure on businesses and families. If government revenue is increasing, Nigerians have a legitimate right to ask:
“Where is the money going? Where are the revenues from subsidy removal, taxation, borrowing and increased revenue collection being deployed? Why are appropriated projects not adequately funded if government revenues have improved? Why are contractors owed trillions of naira while new budgets continue to be presented and approved?”
Odeyemi charged the National Assembly to perform its constitutional responsibility by exercising an effective oversight over the executive and stop being a rubber-stamp parliament that cannot speak on matters that affect its members and the country at large.
He called on the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately conduct a comprehensive review of federal budget implementation from 2023 to date and publish details of funds appropriated, released and actually spent by Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the last three budget cycles.
Where the evidence establishes impeachable offences or gross misconducts, which the DLA believes are obvious, he said the National Assembly must commence the constitutional process for the removal of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Constitution must apply equally to everyone.
