Major opposition parties have raised strong objections to President Bola Tinubu’s proposed ₦58.18 trillion 2026 budget.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

They warned that the spending plan could deepen Nigeria’s debt crisis and increase the hardship already faced by citizens.

The criticism followed the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly.

President Tinubu described the proposal as the “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” while assuring lawmakers that the economy was showing signs of recovery and that the government would enforce fiscal discipline.

However, opposition figures say the budget figures tell a different story. According to them, the proposal relies heavily on borrowing and allocates huge sums to debt servicing, without clear evidence that previous loans have improved living standards.

They argued that inflation remains high, insecurity persists across many parts of the country, and ordinary Nigerians are yet to feel relief despite rising annual budgets.

Speaking on the matter, the National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Rufus Ayenugba, said his party was alarmed by the size of funds set aside for debt servicing and fresh borrowing.

He described his party’s “major worry is the money being earmarked to service debt and the humongous loan this current administration keeps borrowing.”

Ayenugba questioned the purpose of the loans, noting that Nigerians were still struggling to survive. He said citizens were becoming increasingly agitated because the loans had not translated into better living conditions.

He also raised concerns over repeated large allocations to security, arguing that such spending had become routine without meaningful improvement on the ground.

According to him, security votes were often shielded from scrutiny, yet insecurity continued to spread.

Ayenugba stressed that the real issue was no longer the size of the budget but how effectively it was implemented. He said Nigerians were more interested in whether public spending improved economic life and restored confidence in governance.

He warned that continuous borrowing, protests, and worsening hardship were damaging the country’s image and placing the economy under severe strain.

On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, said borrowing had become inevitable because of budget deficits. However, he cautioned that debt servicing was now consuming funds that should go into development.

Ifoh noted that a significant portion of national revenue was being used to service debts, leaving limited resources for infrastructure, healthcare, education, and job creation.

He also spoke about ongoing tax reforms by the government, urging authorities to ensure that new revenue measures did not further burden low-income earners. According to him, economic reforms should protect the most vulnerable Nigerians.

Ifoh described corruption as a persistent challenge to budget implementation. He pointed to recent controversies involving regulatory agencies as evidence that funds were often mismanaged.

He warned that budgetary allocations must be used strictly for their intended purposes and not diverted for personal gain.

While acknowledging that defence and security traditionally receive large allocations, he said the real concern was accountability. He argued that the focus should be on proper utilisation rather than the size of the allocation.

The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, took a more critical stance. He said the borrowing pattern of the current administration had not justified even the spending under the outgoing 2025 budget.

Tanko pointed out that the request to extend the 2025 budget suggested that funds were not properly utilised. He accused the government of weak accountability and described the situation as fiscal recklessness.

He also criticised the National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of failing in their oversight responsibilities. According to him, budgets were being passed without effective monitoring of implementation.

In a separate reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejected the proposal outright. The party described it as a “Budget of consolidated renewed sufferings,” arguing that it prioritised the comfort of the political elite over the welfare of citizens.

In a statement, the PDP said claims of economic growth had not reflected in the daily lives of Nigerians. It maintained that poverty, hunger, and insecurity continued to rise despite government assurances.

The party also raised concerns about the extension of previous budgets, warning that running multiple budgets at the same time undermined fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability.

Amid the growing criticism, the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, urged the President to focus on impact rather than figures. She said Nigerians were more concerned about jobs, infrastructure, healthcare, and education than headline budget numbers.

She stressed that public scrutiny was essential and warned that budgets should not remain impressive documents without real benefits for citizens.

As deliberations move to the National Assembly, opposition parties insist that the success of the ₦58.18 trillion budget will be judged by its ability to reduce hardship, control debt, and rebuild trust in how public resources are managed.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the 2026 election in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, have exchanged words over the condition of the state’s health sector.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Oyebamiji had earlier pledged to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the health sector if elected, alleging that health facilities across the state were in a moribund condition.

He described the state of healthcare infrastructure as a major setback to development in Osun State.

Oyebamiji, through his campaign movement coordinator, Adebayo Adedeji, insisted that the health sector had deteriorated under the current administration.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Adedeji said criticism of Oyebamiji would not alter facts he said were already in the public domain.

He cited a report by CheckMyPHC.org, which revealed “significant workforce gaps in Osun’s primary healthcare centres and that 73 per cent of PHCs in the state reportedly lack adequate staffing, with many operating with between zero and one personnel, while 44 per cent were said to have no staff at all.”

The report also noted that “several centres lack clean water, functional toilets and basic hygiene facilities, hindering effective healthcare delivery.”

Adedeji recalled that during the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, under whom Oyebamiji served, more than 300 of the state’s 600 primary healthcare centres were renovated, accusing the Adeleke administration of failing to sustain the initiative.

Governor Adeleke, however, dismissed the claims, describing them as baseless and a deliberate attempt at disinformation.

The governor said Osun currently ranks first in the South-West in the provision of primary healthcare services.

According to Adeleke, his “administration has renovated more than 200 primary healthcare centres across the state since assuming office.”

He further alleged that Oyebamiji, “while serving under the previous APC administration, was a member of a committee that mismanaged a $20 million World Bank grant earmarked for the renovation of primary healthcare centres.

“Osun will not return to the days of insensitive leadership.”

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has confirmed that a fire incident occurred at one of its offices in Abuja yesterday morning, with no loss of life recorded.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The incident which occurred at the FIRS office located at No. 15 Sokode Cresent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, was said to have broken out on the fourth floor of the building.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Technical Assistant (Print Media) to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Sikiru Akinola, the Service said the situation was swiftly brought under control through the prompt action of security personnel and emergency responders.

“The fire, which broke out on the fourth floor of the building, was promptly responded to by our security personnel on duty,” Akinola said.

He explained that the timely intervention of the Federal Capital Territory Fire Service, alongside other emergency agencies, ensured that the fire did not escalate or spread to other parts of the building. According to him, “with the swift support of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service and other emergency responders, the fire was successfully contained and prevented from spreading further.”
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Akinola confirmed that no casualties were recorded in the incident, adding that all staff and occupants were safe. However, he noted that some offices on the affected floor suffered damage as a result of the fire.

“The Service can confirm that no lives were lost in the incident. However, a number of offices on the affected floor sustained damage,” he said.

The affected floor houses the executive office suites of past Executive Chairmen of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, though the extent of the damage is still being assessed.

Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire. Akinola disclosed that early findings suggest the incident may have been triggered by an electrical fault.

“An investigation into the cause of the fire has commenced, with preliminary assessments pointing to a possible electrical fault,” he stated.

He added that the Service has begun a comprehensive review of its internal safety procedures in response to the incident. According to the statement, all existing safety protocols are being examined and reinforced to prevent a recurrence.

“In the meantime, all internal safety protocols are being thoroughly reviewed and strengthened to mitigate against future occurrences,” Akinola said.

The FIRS assured the public that operations would continue while necessary remedial measures are taken to address the impact of the incident and improve safety across its facilities.