The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2026 budget, describing it as a document that fails to reflect the economic realities faced by most Nigerians.
President Tinubu on Friday presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly, with the theme, “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity.” However, the PDP said the budget represents what it termed “consolidated and renewed suffering” for Nigerians.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the opposition party argued that despite government claims of economic stabilisation, Nigerians have continued to experience severe hardship under the current administration.
The PDP reacted to the President’s claim that the economy grew by 3.98 per cent, noting that economic growth figures alone do not translate into improved living standards. It cited the 2025 World Bank Poverty and Equity Brief, which reportedly shows that over 30.9 per cent of Nigerians live below the international extreme poverty line.
According to the party, the data suggests that economic growth has not resulted in shared prosperity, as poverty remains widespread despite the reported GDP expansion.
The PDP also faulted the President for not identifying the sectors driving the reported growth or clarifying who benefitted from it. It compared the 3.98 per cent growth rate with the 6.87 per cent recorded in 2013 under the previous PDP administration, which it said was largely driven by non-oil sectors such as agriculture and trade.
While acknowledging the security allocation in the 2026 budget, the party stressed that funding alone would not solve the nation’s security challenges. It called for transparent and effective utilisation of security funds to ensure improved equipment, intelligence gathering, ammunition supply and better welfare for security personnel deployed across various conflict zones.
The PDP further expressed concern over the President’s admission that the implementation of the 2024 capital budget had been extended to December 2025, while the 2025 budget remains in operation. It described the concurrent running of multiple budgets as a breach of fiscal best practices, warning that it undermines transparency, accountability and financial discipline.
“This confirms long-standing concerns about the simultaneous operation of multiple budgets, which should not occur in a properly managed fiscal system,” the statement said.
The party concluded by calling for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public finances, noting that these principles are essential for rebuilding public trust and ensuring effective governance.
