ADC Accuses Tinubu’s Government of Budget Mismanagement and Policy Reversals

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu, alleging confusion in the management of national budgets, poor execution of projects, and frequent changes to government policies.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that the government’s focus on political considerations has hindered effective governance and contributed to the country’s challenges.

The opposition party pointed to what it described as an irregular budget cycle, noting that since 2024, the government has been operating multiple fiscal plans simultaneously. According to the ADC, this has created operational difficulties for ministries and government agencies.

Allegations of Inefficient Budget Implementation

The ADC claimed that Nigeria is experiencing an unprecedented situation where three national budgets are overlapping without being fully implemented. The party cited reports indicating that the 2024 budget was extended into 2025, yet by the third quarter of last year, only 17.7% of the capital component had been released. Overall budget implementation was said to be below 30%.

It also noted that 30% of the 2025 budget is scheduled to run from February to November 2026, while the remaining 70% is expected to be rolled over into the 2026 budget, which is still under consideration by the National Assembly.

The party rejected the government’s explanation that this approach is a deliberate strategy or a transition cost to ensure the completion of multi-year projects, describing such justifications as misleading.

Sectoral Performance and Concerns

The ADC expressed concern over low capital budget implementation in key sectors. It reported that the Ministry of Power had utilised only 3.6% of its capital budget, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy 8.9%, while Education and Health recorded 23.5% and 32.5%, respectively.

In contrast, the Ministry of Defence was noted to have exceeded its budget, with implementation at 113.45%. The party attributed this to emergency allocations through the Service-Wide Vote. However, it observed that despite increased funding to the sector, insecurity persists, with reports of significant casualties in parts of the country during the current Ramadan period.

The ADC also raised questions about the management of public funds, stating that despite increased revenues, borrowing, and foreign reserves, projects remain unimplemented and contractors are owed. It suggested that this disconnect between revenue generation and service delivery is contributing to economic hardship.

Criticism of Policy Consistency

The party further alleged that the government has announced and reversed several appointments and policy decisions, sometimes following public backlash. It described this pattern as a sign of a distracted administration more focused on political interests than governance.

The ADC maintained that current economic conditions, including widespread poverty and insecurity, reflect a failure of governance and called for greater accountability in the management of national resources.