Television Nigerian

President Bola Tinubu has been urged to treat the 2025 capital budget as a national emergency by the Coalition for Equitable Development and Fiscal Justice, or CEDFJ, a civic accountability organization. The group warns that bureaucratic bottlenecks under the Ministry of Finance are impeding economic recovery and undermining public confidence in advance of the 2027 elections.

The group said that the nation’s fiscal management, which is overseen by Finance Minister Wale Edun, “has become a serious drag on the President’s reform agenda” in a statement signed on Monday by its president, Dr. Gbenga Akinbowale, and national secretary, Gloria Maduegbuna. The group accused the ministry of failing to convert policy intent into concrete results.

The President’s economic framework now has the Ministry of Finance as its weakest point. The statement states, “The President has shown courage in reforming foreign exchange policy, national planning, and oil subsidies, but his finance team continues to stifle these reforms with slow execution, delayed capital releases, and bureaucratic aloofness.”

The group claimed that Nigeria’s fiscal system “has become trapped in a cycle of excuses and inefficiency” and that the government runs the risk of losing the support of the populace at a crucial political juncture if immediate action is not made to reform the budget implementation process.

The 2025 capital budget must now be viewed as a national emergency by the president. Every year, the same bureaucratic cycle is repeated, money is granted beyond the deadline, projects stop in the middle, and appropriations lose all of their value due to inflation. The statement went on, “This cannot continue under an administration that came to power promising a break from the past.”

As the 2027 election cycle approaches, CEDFJ cautioned that the present rate of fiscal performance “is not politically sustainable,” emphasizing that delays in capital funding will lessen the impact of Tinubu’s reforms.

Every unfinished hospital, electricity installation, or road project that has stagnated serves as a reminder that people are still waiting for the Renewed Hope that was promised to them. No amount of political messaging will make up for subpar performance if these expectations are not fulfilled.

According to Akinbowale, the coalition’s analysis of previous budgets revealed that between 2021 and 2024, fewer than 70% of capital allocations were used in the majority of MDAs. If this trend continues, it might seriously impair important infrastructure projects in 2025.

“Repeating the same bureaucratic routines that have failed for years is no longer a strategic way to solve the same problem. In order to facilitate progress rather than serve as a gatekeeper of lethargy, the Ministry of Finance needs to be overhauled. This process must be personally led by the President.

He encouraged Tinubu to require quarterly performance reports from the Accountant-General’s office and the finance ministry, as well as to set up a direct presidential monitoring system for capital releases.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda’s legitimacy is based on how faithfully it is followed, not on how effectively the budget is drafted. The organization cautioned, “We risk undermining the very hope that brought this government to power if 2025 becomes another year of excuses.”

Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State, has voiced his displeasure at not being able to obtain a form to run for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Chairman position.

According to reports, Lamido had previously announced his desire to run for PDP chairman in a post on his verified Facebook page.

The former governor, who is also a founding member of the PDP, declared that his dedication to democracy and determination to return the nation’s main opposition to its previous standing are unbreakable.

He stated that the necessity to get the party ready for next elections was what motivated him to run.

But on Monday, Lamido was unable to obtain the document at the PDP National Headquarters.

The former Foreign Affairs Minister told reporters that he was ready to run for the party’s chairmanship at the November 15th and 16th elective National Convention, which is scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State.

Lamido added that if he didn’t receive the form, he would go to court.

Recall that Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties, was supported for the Chairmanship position by governors elected on the PDP platform.

Lamido, Turaki, and former Kano and Kaduna governors Ibrahim Shekarau and Ahmed Makarfi all expressed interest in the race prior to his endorsement.

The 2025 Elective National Convention candidate screening has been delayed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) Chairman and Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, signed a statement on Monday stating that the screening, which was originally set for Tuesday, October 28, 2025, was postponed due to unanticipated circumstances.

He apologized for any inconveniences and stated that a new date for the exercise would be announced.

However, Fintiri promised that the party was prepared and dedicated to holding a legitimate convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16.

Due to unanticipated circumstances, the National Convention Organizing Committee (NCOC) of our wonderful party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has postponed the screening of candidates for the 2025 Elective National Convention, which was originally planned for Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

“Once the date is set, it will be announced. The NCOC apologizes for any trouble the postponement may have caused.

“The aforementioned should be noted by all candidates and members of our party, and they should be directed appropriately.

“On Saturday, November 15, to Sunday, November 16, 2025, in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, the NCOC remains committed to delivering a credible, hitch-free 2025 Elective National Convention,” he said.

Recall that before to the party’s election convention, the PDP appointed former Ondo State gubernatorial candidate Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as Chairman of its Screening Committee.

Asue Ighodalo is the secretary, Jacob Otorkpa is the deputy secretary, and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa is the deputy chairman.

Emmanuel Enoidem, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Chief Aduke Maina, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Achike Udenwa, Maryam Ciroma, Felix Hyat, Zainab Maina, and Chinedu Nwachukwu, who will act as member and administrative secretary, are also on the panel.

Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State, has formally declared his intention to run for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Chairmanship.

According to reports, Lamido announced this on Monday through a post on his verified Facebook page.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Lamido declared he will go to Wadata Plaza, the PDP’s national office in Abuja, to pick up his candidacy form.

The former governor, who is also a founding member of the PDP, declared that his dedication to democracy and determination to return the nation’s main opposition to its previous standing are unbreakable.

He went on to say that the need to get the party ready for next elections was what motivated him to run.

“By the grace of God, I will be at Wadata Plaza, the National Headquarters of our very party, PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, by 11am today, Monday, October 27, 2025, to purchase the nomination form to run for the office of National Chairman of the Party,” he declared. My dedication to democracy and will to bring our beloved Party back to its former splendor are unbreakable!

At its next national convention, the PDP—which ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2015—is anticipated to choose a new National Chairman.

Obika Chinedu, a member of the House of Representatives who represents the Bwari/AMAC Federal Constituency, has urged for the elimination of constituency projects, characterizing them as a significant diversion from the legislators’ constitutional duties.

The politician from the Labour Party bemoaned the fact that lawmakers have been compelled to assume executive positions at the price of monitoring and legislation.

This specific endeavor known as the constituency project has caused the most damage to the legislative branch of government. In a recent interview with Daily Post, Chinedu stated, “I detest it.”

Legislators were elected to enact laws, not to carry out projects, according to Chinedu.

“We are not involved in community projects.” Only those whose job it is should be supervised by us. He continued, “Lawmakers have become executives.”

The congressman bemoaned the public’s misunderstanding of the job of legislators, claiming that many Nigerians now hold National Assembly members accountable for duties that fall outside the purview of the executive branch of government.

“Those who visit our homes will tell us what they should be telling the executive instead of bringing what we should be working on,” Chinedu stated.

“They shift their anger to legislators, whose primary responsibility is to enact laws, rather than being angry at those in the executive branch for failing to do what should have been done.”

He said that because of this misconception, lawmakers are under excessive pressure and that some of them “run away from their people” in order to escape constant requests that they are unable to fulfill.

This explains why some lawmakers flee from their constituents due to a number of unfulfilled requests. The communities don’t grasp it most of the time,” he said.

According to Chinedu, lawmakers now pursue boreholes and roads rather than laws.
Chinedu lamented how legislators’ attention has changed from legislation to tangible initiatives as a result of constituency projects.

Everywhere we go, people continue to make demands on various projects. Lawmaking and constitutional changes that would improve people’s lives are no longer of interest to them, he claimed.

He also denounced the politicization of local initiatives, pointing out that lawmakers who lack access to powerful committees or ties to the ruling party are frequently wrongly viewed as failures by their voters.

He stated, “Some of our colleagues who ended up in leadership positions have more reach to do things.”

“You will see a committed legislator, but he won’t be able to draw projects to his constituency because he doesn’t have that reach, probably because he is from the opposition.”

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) received unprecedented budgetary support this year, with almost ₦1.8 trillion allotted for infrastructure, the Labour Party legislator also said.

He declared, “FCT has never had budget provisions like this, above ₦1.8 trillion.” “In order to stimulate development, we supported it and enacted the legislation. This is not how we are supposed to get from place to place. This has undermined laws.

I’m Still With the Labour Party

In response to the recent surge of opposition lawmakers defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chinedu insisted that he is still a devoted Labour Party member.

He declared, “Until our leader says otherwise, I am a Labour Party man and I remain in the party.”

“Those who are defecting have the freedom to do so. You have the option to depart if you believe that your current location is not ideal for you. Nigeria has a multiparty system because of this.

The congressman admitted that security personnel are “trying their best” in response to the mounting security concerns in the capital territory, but said that the creation of an FCT Independent Police Force would significantly increase local safety.

“People complain about insecurity in the capital city because they don’t see what was prevented; they only see what happens at a specific time,” he stated.

“So that we can use a portion of our revenue to invest in security and secure Abuja, I am advocating for the creation of the FCT Independent Police Force.”

He emphasized that, in spite of what the public believes, security officials’ efforts are silently preventing many security dangers.

“The majority of what I know about the government circle is unknown to you, and I won’t share it with you. According to what has been made available, the security personnel are making every effort,” he continued.