By Ayodele Oni
Labour Party Senatorial Candidate, Anambra Central Senatorial District, Tochukwu Sagacious Ikezue, has called on the Federal Government to provide Nigerians with a comprehensive explanation regarding the about ₦8.83 trillion in federal expenditure for 2025 which allegedly did not reflect in the approved national budget.
Ikezue, in a statement on Monday maintained that “This is not the time for political grandstanding or attempts to suppress legitimate questions.
“It is a time for openness, accountability, and respect for the rule of law.
“Democracy thrives when public officials are answerable to the people, and when the management of public resources is subjected to effective oversight.
“As citizens, we must continue to demand transparency, accountability, and prudent management of our commonwealth through lawful and democratic means.
“Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable development if questions surrounding public finance are ignored or treated with indifference.
“I urge all relevant institutions to act swiftly in the interest of the nation. Nigerians deserve nothing less than the truth.
“If these reports are accurate, they raise serious concerns about fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s public resources.
“Such a significant expenditure outside the budgetary framework, if left unexplained, undermines public confidence in government institutions and weakens the principles of democratic governance.
“At a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship, unemployment, poor healthcare, inadequate educational facilities, and failing infrastructure, every kobo of public funds must be accounted for and deployed in a manner that directly improves the lives of citizens.
“The National Assembly, as the constitutionally empowered oversight institution, must also discharge its responsibility by conducting a thorough and transparent investigation into the matter.
“Likewise, the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and other relevant accountability institutions should ensure that due process is followed and the truth is established.
The report arose from the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) consultation indicating that about ₦8.83 trillion in federal expenditure for 2025 was allegedly not reflected in the approved national budget.
The Federal Government has however dismissed the claims that it spent more than ₦8 trillion outside the 2026 budget, insisting that all public expenditures were carried out within the constitutional and legal framework governing public finance.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the government said reports suggesting that about two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product was spent through a “shadow budget” misrepresented comments attributed to the International Monetary Fund and the Fund’s 2026 Article IV Consultation Report.
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