The Democratic and Leadership Alliance (DLA) has criticised the repeated extension of the implementation period for the capital component of the 2025 budget, warning that it could further complicate budget execution.
The National Assembly on Tuesday approved the extension of the capital component’s implementation deadline from September 30 to December 31, 2026, giving Ministries, Departments and Agencies additional time to execute projects contained in the 2025 Appropriation Act.
It is the fourth extension of the implementation period for the budget’s capital component.
Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the DLA National Campaign Council, Dr Tosin Odeyemi, said the repeated extensions reflected what the party described as worsening fiscal and economic conditions.
Odeyemi also raised concerns about the funding of previous budgets and the implementation of the 2026 budget.
“We are more concerned that this is the fourth time the implementation of this same budget has been extended,” he said.
He warned that the latest extension could result in outstanding capital expenditure being rolled over into subsequent budgets.
“The looming fiscal and economic crisis this administration is inviting shows that over N35tn, which is the capital component of 2026 budget, will be moved to the 2027, thereby continuing this shambolic process of running minimum of two budgets at a time,” Odeyemi said.
The DLA spokesman called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from the Federal Government over the management of public funds.
“We hereby call on Nigerians to join us in asking the Tinubu administration to account for the humongous funds it received in 2025 if it couldn’t fund the budget,” he said.
Odeyemi also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s calls for Nigerians to hold state governors accountable for increased allocations following the removal of fuel subsidy.
He questioned the Federal Government’s management of the larger share of the nation’s resources and loans, which he said had coincided with repeated delays in budget implementation.
The DLA spokesman further criticised the administration’s fiscal management and said the party had presented what it described as an alternative programme to Nigerians.
“We have presented a better alternative to Nigerians and we believe only DLA will restore the dignity of this country and revive the ailing economic and fiscal processes,” he added.
The National Assembly’s latest decision followed concerns over delays in executing capital projects captured in the 2025 budget.
Discussion0