The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of gross corruption following claims that ₦8.83 trillion in 2025 expenditure was not captured in the national budget.
Obi made the allegation in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, citing what he described as findings from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) consultation report.
According to him, the reported expenditure was not appropriated in the 2025 budget and was therefore outside legislative oversight and administrative scrutiny.
“The recent report from the IMF consultation further raises concerns about the scale of grand corruption under the Tinubu government. The IMF now reveals that about ₦8.83 trillion in expenditure undertaken in 2025 is not reflected in the budget. This expenditure is not budgeted and is therefore not under legislative oversight or administrative scrutiny. This is horrible,” Obi said.
He argued that the amount represents about two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over 35 per cent of the country’s ₦23.96 trillion capital expenditure budget for 2025.
Obi also claimed that the sum exceeds the combined allocations to the education and health sectors in the 2025 budget, saying it could have been used to improve public services, create jobs and support economic development if properly managed.
The former Anambra State governor alleged that the development reflected a pattern of financial mismanagement under the current administration.
He further accused the government of failing to uphold basic principles of public financial management, warning that such practices could undermine national stability and deepen poverty.
Describing the administration as “grossly corrupt, incompetent and insensitive,” Obi argued that the reported expenditure underscored the need for greater accountability in the management of public resources.
He also reiterated his earlier call for President Tinubu to resign, citing what he described as incompetence, failure to fulfil campaign promises and alleged lack of commitment to the welfare and security of Nigerians.
Obi urged citizens to hold the government accountable through lawful and democratic means.
The Presidency and the Federal Government are yet to respond to Obi’s claims.
