Nigeria’s opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of running what it described as the “most incompetent government ever,” citing alleged confusion in the implementation of national budgets and repeated policy reversals.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the Federal Government’s handling of budgets since 2024 demonstrates “utter confusion and a historic level of incompetence.”
“The ADC has noted recent reports that signify utter confusion and a historic level of incompetence in the Tinubu administration’s implementation of national budgets since 2024,” Abdullahi said. “This is the first time in Nigerian history that any government would be running three budgets at the same time while implementing none.”
According to the party, reports indicate that although the 2024 budget was rolled over into 2025, implementation remained weak deep into the year.
Abdullahi stated that by the third quarter of 2025, “only 17.7% of the capital budget had been released, while overall implementation hovered at less than 30%, even as internal disbursements continued to lag.”
The party dismissed the government’s explanation that the budget overlap was a strategic move to complete multi-year projects.
“Government has argued that this absurdity is a ‘deliberate strategy’ and ‘transition cost’ to ensure that multi-year capital projects are completed. This is a blatant falsehood that cannot hold up to any scrutiny,” the statement said.
ADC further alleged that parts of the 2025 budget are scheduled to run from February to November 2026, while the bulk is expected to roll over into the 2026 budget currently before the National Assembly of Nigeria.
The party said the situation contradicts earlier assurances by Tinubu that capital components of the 2024 and 2025 budgets would be concluded by 31 March 2026.
“As of today, capital budget implementation for the Ministry of Power stands at a mere 3.6%, that of Communications Technology at 8.9%, while Education and Health stand at 23.5% and 32.5% respectively,” Abdullahi said.
He added that the figures suggest key sectors linked to human capital development have been largely underfunded.
“Certainly, no serious government would leave these sectors, which are crucial to national human capital development, largely unfunded while select government officials continue to live in obscene opulence in the midst of unprecedented poverty and human misery.”
The party also criticised increased defence spending, noting that the sector reportedly exceeded its budget.
“It is noteworthy that the only ministry that has outperformed its budget, up to 113.45%, is the Ministry of Defence, largely due to emergency funding through the inscrutable Service-Wide Vote,” the statement read.
Despite the additional funding, the party claimed insecurity had continued to spread, alleging that “in this month of Ramadan alone, up to 500 Nigerians may have been killed by terrorists in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Kebbi.”
ADC also questioned the government’s claims of improved revenue and stronger foreign reserves.
“The government has continued to boast of historic revenue collection and unprecedented foreign reserve balances. This government has borrowed more aggressively than any other government in the country’s history. Yet, budgets remain unimplemented, and contractors remain unpaid.”
The opposition party further accused the administration of frequent policy reversals and inconsistent appointments.
“Since this government came on board, analysts have identified at least seven appointments and several policy decisions that the government has announced and reversed either almost immediately or after public uproar. This is what happens when a government is distracted,” it said.
The statement concluded with criticism of the party’s description of the government’s political priorities, referencing the recent election in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Yet what we see is a government that continues to gloat over its ‘victory’ in the FCT election and obsess over ADC online membership registration,” Abdullahi said.
The Presidency had not issued an official response to the allegations at the time this report was filed.
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