The National Assembly is once again at the center of controversy, following fresh allegations of budget padding totaling ₦6.9 trillion in the proposed 2025 national budget.
Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, made the accusations during a televised interview on Monday, August 4. He voiced concerns over Nigeria’s worsening poverty rate and criticized what he described as a disconnect between the country’s economic reality and the actions of its lawmakers.
“The 469 members of the National Assembly, aside from their outrageous monthly earnings — ₦21 million for each senator and ₦15 million for each House of Reps member — have inserted over 11,000 new items into the 2025 budget, amounting to ₦6.9 trillion,” Falana alleged.
Falana Calls for Targeted Social Spending
Falana emphasized that if the government is serious about tackling poverty, it must prioritize and significantly increase funding for social intervention programs such as Conditional Cash Transfers and other pro-poor initiatives. He urged President Bola Tinubu to not only appeal to state governors to support such interventions but also compel them to formalize and legalize these programs.
According to the legal expert, the actions of the National Assembly continue to undermine these efforts. He called for greater fiscal transparency and accountability from federal lawmakers.
Recurring Allegations of Budget Padding
This isn’t the first time the 10th National Assembly has faced allegations of budget manipulation. In early 2024, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raised concerns about discrepancies in the 2024 budget. Ningi claimed that while the National Assembly passed a ₦25 trillion budget, the presidency was allegedly implementing a ₦28.7 trillion version.
The senator, speaking in a BBC Hausa interview, was later suspended for failing to provide concrete evidence to support his claim. However, he was reinstated after a period of controversy and internal debate within the Senate.
Tinubu Reacts to National Security Concerns
In a related development, President Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to national security. Speaking during a meeting with Senate leadership, he condemned the killing of 16 soldiers in Delta State and vowed that his administration would ensure justice is served.
Tinubu praised the efforts of the Nigerian military in combating insecurity and pledged continued federal support for the armed forces.
