Headlines

Untold Story Of 2016 Budget Padding

Published

10 years ago

February 8, 2016

By Emmanuel IFFER, Abuja

Many top civil servants are yet to wake up to the realisation that things have changed in the way government business is conducted, this is evident in the attempt by some government officials handling budget estimates to as usual manipulate and introduce some items for selfish gain into the 2016 estimate.
Findings by nationalTRAIL reveal that, like others before it, the 2016 budget estimate had items worth over 1.7 Trillion naira included in the final copy that was eventually presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly for necessary legislative action.
The budget estimate had items such as Aso Clinic(State House Medical Centre), as well as some items, simply lumped together as communication equipment, amongst several others that do not really march up with the vision of the present administration, neither has any direct or indirect impact on the lives of Nigerians.
A situation which is said to have not only embarrassed the president, but the whole of the cabinet and the presidency, which is why there are reports of the president’s harmer descending on some of the top officials involved in the act.
nationalTRAIL, learnt that President Muhammadu Buhari, has already ordered a compilation of names of officials fingered in the smuggling of items into the estimates, and it may only be a matter of time before his hammer falls on those who may have been manipulating the budgetary processes, by injecting figures that are later siphoned for private uses.
Findings reveal that, already, Permanent Secretaries who are the accounting officers of the various ministries and directors of finance and Accounts, under whose purview the preparation of budgets are anchored have been making frantic efforts to stave off the President’s action.
Knowledgeable sources told this newspaper that some of those bureaucrats handling budget issues, and have mastered the act of smuggling items that were not originally intended by the government to be included in the yearly estimates, had tried as it has become the norm, to frustrate the budget presentation before the end of last year.
“ You can see that this year’s budget also came in December, I can tell you that this is was deliberate, it was all to frustrate early presentation, these experts know how to create these problems, so there would not be enough time for proper scrutiny of the budget, knowing also that Nigerians are anxious to see things happening, and would also afford them the opportunity of last minutes rush and contract bazaar”
Another reliable source, conversant with the workings of the budget system, told our correspondent that budget preparation remains one of the biggest area where billions of the country’s resources are diverted into private pockets, saying, “ If we are serious to develop this country, we must be serious with our budgeting process, in fact we don’t have a budget, check it, in the last two or three years, have we had a budget in the real sense of it?.
“How can you be debating a budget till June in the year the budget should actually be working for the people, when will you implement it?, in the past years, Nigerian budget has not gone beyond 30 percent implementation, a budget is supposed to be ready latest by December 31, of the previous year, so that implementation begins January 1 of the intended year’, the source argued.
“ If we are serious, we must make it a constitutional thing, defining when a budget must be ready and announced just like it is done in other serious nations; like the USA whose budget for next year must get to the congress by February, that is the way to go.”
Further investigation reveal how the budget padding has been so perfected by MDAs in connivance with the Budget Office and budget committee at Federal Ministry of Finance, to the extent that it would require more than just an eagle eye to uncover.
nationalTRAIL learnt that sometimes the padding begins at the stage of issuing budgetary circular by the Federal Ministry of Finance, which is usually referred to as envelop, in which a ceiling is given to each MDA. Investigation showed that some MDAs and their top officials usually bribe at the envelop stage before circulars are issued so as to get a higher ceiling, or sometimes lobby and bribe at the budget committee level.
The National assembly is equally not insulated from this, according a source at the nation’s apex legislature; as most of the padding are allegedly perpetuated at that level since that arm of government has the final say in the budget process.
“ It is here that most of the padding of budget is done, MDAs come here to lobby and even bribe their way, those that cannot usually receive smaller allocations that can hardly meet their actual needs.
“ Let me tell you, most of what you see as passed budget is usually full of interest both at executive and legislative levels, not the genuine interest of developing the country” the source concluded.
It could be recalled that in 2005, then Minister for Education, Fabian Osuji and some members of the National Assembly, were accused of demanding and receiving bribe to increase the education ministry’s budgetary allocation, when Senator Adolfus Wambara, was the President of the Senate, an allegation that caused his removal as senate president.
But shortly after the initial national broadcast by then President Olusegun Obasanjo, and subsequent arrest of the accused, the matter has remained a mystery till date, with some of the principal actors, such as; Gabriel Suswam, then chairman house committee on Appropriation becoming the Governor of Benue State, while others have since moved on to other things, while the nation continue to bleed.

Headlines

2027: THE MANY WARS IN PARTIES

Published

2 months ago

June 1, 2026

Our Reporter

☆ ADC, PDP, NDC, LP Tacle APC Amidst Internal Wranglings.
☆ Party primaries trigger godfather vs godson clashes.
By: Our Special Correspondent.

Election periods always make Nigeria a political melting pot. Tensions, intrigues, violence, manipulations and grandstanding have been the order.
2027 may not be an exception, as already, the polity is heating up and political players are up in arms.
Between political parties, battle lines are being drawn.
It is no longer news that, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the ADC and former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi of the NDC have secured the presidential tickets for their various political parties, ahead of the 2027 elections.
While Nigerians await the outcome of the presidential primaries for the other parties, it is apparent that the leading dramatis personae of the 2023 presidential election debacle, are set to square it out again in 2027.
But, while most, if not all the opposition political parties are emershed in multi-dimenssional crisis, the stage seems set for dirtier political schemings, in the quest to wrestle power from the ruling APC.
With the apparent collapse of the much talked about coalition, frontline candidates may again go into the election as a divided house, as the parties are further polarized by the attendant crisis arising from the just concluded primaries.
The ruling APC, also faced with similar crisis following the primaries. The primaries of all the parties seem to have sparked internal wranglings
across Edo, Delta, Lagos, Oyo, Kano, Rivers and other states. In most states, the primaries for governorship, Senate and House of Representatives seats have triggered deepening crises between governors, former governors, senators and entrenched party blocs.
While one may regard such disagrerments as normal and could be resolved before the main election, the disagreement between President Tinubu and the opposition may linger.

The President is fighting hard to ward of attacks over his failed promises which were made in 2023, as campaign issues.
Similarlly, the issue of insecurity, fuel subsidy, pol8cy summersault, and general cost of living have been brought to the front burner, in political discourse.
Tinubu told Nigerians on Friday that subsidy removal and forex reforms have revived investor confidence, lifted market cap to 250,000 points, and drawn new oil and gas investment. He also said security operations have “intensified” against bandits, separatists and insurgents.
But critics insist that Tinubu’s camp is working to cripple opposition parties reminescent of the Abacha-era dark days.
In apparent move to realign forces and reshape 2027, NDC’s Peter Obi has announced Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate.
Obi told a gathering brfore naming Kwankwaso as his running mate, that, the Vice President office under him, will be “an active partner, not ceremonial”. The NDC held a special convention Saturday to affirm Obi as flagbearer where he promised 10,000MW electricity generation. Labour Party has also presented Dr. Chibuzo Okereke as its presidential candidate, a lowly rated personality.
At the sub-national level, political players are pulling the strings from different end. Most governors are being accused of imposing their cronies as governorship, senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates.
The national leadership of the APC has been struggling hard to adress the widespread crisis occassioned by the primaries. The APC, in Lagos amidst the internal wars, has picked Princess Damilola Sonayon-James as running mate to Lagos governorship candidate Dr. Obafemi Hamzat. Both are seen as stooges of the governor and by extenssion the President.
In Rivers, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has vowed that, the APC “Rainbow Coalition” will agree on one governorship candidate and that ADC’s Atiku won’t get 10% of Rivers votes. Though the candidate has not yet been named.
Wike also declared “Rivers has no option but to back Tinubu”.
In several states, there have been massive decampments from the APC in particular, because of unfavourable outcomes of the primaries.
All these point to a turbulent outing for the APC, even as the ruling party.
As for the opposition parties, they all have been emasculated, and may not be able to pose much threat to the ruling APC.
While the political wranglings were going on the most serious threat to the APC remains the rising concern over insecurity. The issue seem to have ignited anger across the country, with Federal Workers Forum threatening an indefinite nationwide strike over rising insecurity and unresolved wages. SERAP, has meanwhile urged the UN Secretary-General to invoke Article 99 over Nigeria’s “escalating insecurity—mass abductions, killings, displacements”.

Headlines

“Nigeria Is in a Hurry to Celebrate Victory Over Enemies of the State,” Says Tinubu as He Decorates New Service Chiefs

Published

9 months ago

October 30, 2025

Our Reporter

By: Fabian Apechihin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the newly appointed service chiefs to discharge their duties with utmost dedication and renewed commitment, declaring that “Nigeria is in a hurry to celebrate victory over enemies of the state.”

The President made this statement on Thursday during the decoration ceremony of the new service chiefs with their ranks at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Those decorated were General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Wahidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Marshal Kennedy Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.

The ceremony was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and the spouses of the newly promoted officers, who joined the President in performing the decorations.

In his address, Tinubu underscored the central role of security in fostering national development and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians.

“Security is an essential element without which everything else becomes meaningless,” the President stated. “There can be no sustainable development if this fundamental need is not met. Our people and our nation must remain secure to enjoy the dividends of governance.”

The elevation and decoration of the new military chiefs followed their confirmation by the National Assembly on Wednesday, after a closed-door screening session with lawmakers.

It will be recalled that, in a recent overhaul of the nation’s military hierarchy, President Tinubu appointed:

Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff,
Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff,
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff,
Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and
Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye retained as Chief of Defence Intelligence.

The new appointments mark a strategic restructuring of Nigeria’s security leadership aimed at strengthening the fight against insurgency, banditry, and other threats to national stability.

Headlines

FG Dismisses Coup Rumour, Reaffirms Confidence in Nigerian Military

Published

9 months ago

October 20, 2025

Our Reporter

By: Fabian Apechihin

The Federal Government has dismissed widespread rumours of an alleged military coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, declaring its full confidence in the loyalty and professionalism of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known in an interview with The Punch on Sunday, insisting that the administration has “no reason whatsoever” to doubt the assurances given by the Defence Headquarters, which had earlier denied reports linking the detention of 16 military officers to a coup attempt.

“The Federal Government has no reason to doubt the military on what it has said,” Idris stated.
“We believe the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain committed to protecting the nation’s territorial integrity and strengthening the fight against insecurity. The government commends their sacrifice and will continue to support them in safeguarding the country.”

The minister’s remarks came a day after the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, firmly debunked a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that the detention of 16 officers was connected to a failed coup plot and the cancellation of the 65th Independence Day parade.

Gusau described the publication as “false, mischievous, and deliberately aimed at creating unnecessary tension and public distrust.”

He clarified that the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade was a purely administrative decision — taken to allow President Tinubu attend a key bilateral meeting abroad and to enable military units sustain ongoing counterinsurgency operations nationwide.

On the issue of the detained officers, Gusau said their case was “an internal disciplinary process” and not related to any political matter.

“The investigation involving the 16 officers is routine, aimed at upholding discipline and professionalism within the ranks,” he explained. “An investigative panel has been constituted, and its findings will be made public in due course.”

Reaffirming the military’s constitutional role and unwavering commitment to civilian rule, Gusau stressed emphatically: