The recurring problem of corrupt inflation in Nigeria’s national budget, known as budget padding, particularly involving the National Assembly, has garnered significant attention and scrutiny in recent years.
This practice entails the insertion of fictitious projects or exaggeration of costs by lawmakers to divert public funds for personal gain or to appease political supporters. The matter came to the fore again a few days ago when Senator Abdul Ningi, from Bauchi Central district and Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, accused the Senate leadership of operating two different appropriations for 2024 and claimed that the 2024 budget is skewed against northern interests. True to his assertion, only Southern Senators (ranking members) vehemently defended the Senate leadership.
History traces budget padding in Nigeria back for decades, but it gained prominence in 2016 when Abdulmumin Jibrin, the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, accused the House leadership, including Speaker Yakubu Dogara, of padding the budget with billions of naira worth of projects. This sparked public outcry and investigations into the matter.
As has been customary in Nigeria, after the initial agitation and brouhaha, the matter fizzled out of public attention and died a natural death. The National Assembly has become a secret cult of sorts; “what you do in Las Vegas must remain in Las Vegas.”
The fraternity of the National Assembly is beyond religious or partisan divides, which explains how the common goal of looting the Treasury unites people, irrespective of religious, tribal, and partisan affiliations.
Budget padding undermines the credibility of the budgetary process, distorts national development priorities, and diverts funds from critical projects despite efforts to address this issue through reforms and investigations. It remains a challenge in Nigeria’s governance system, reflecting entrenched corruption and accountability issues within the National Assembly and the broader political landscape. As experienced several times during the last administration, many members of the Executive called the bluff of the National Assembly when invited for interrogation, and the legislators really appeared helpless; they were not patriotic, and the Executive knew all the noise was not about national interests but personal gain. The unreasonably high number of abandoned or shoddily executed projects is principally due to the laxity and corruption in the National Assembly.
Budget padding in Nigeria is unconstitutional, criminal, and anti-people for several reasons. Firstly, it undermines the principles of transparency and accountability enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. Secondly, it is a criminal offense involving fraudulent activities aimed at siphoning public funds, depriving citizens of essential services and infrastructure. Unfortunately, attempts to defend the Senate leadership by Senator Olamilekan Adeola of Ogun West District only added credence to Senator Ningi’s claim that there are many extra-budgetary expenditures not reflected in the budget document presented to the public; figures of money allotted without locations, so who knows or questions the completion of such projects?Moreover, budget padding is anti-people as it disproportionately affects vulnerable segments of society by hindering government investments in crucial services necessary for human development and poverty alleviation. Systemic changes are essential to ensure transparency, accountability, and good governance in the budgetary process to combat corruption effectively and promote inclusive development. There are many completed borehole projects all over Nigeria, executed by the National Assembly but not functional. The same goes for many other infrastructural provisions captured as constituency projects.
As if Senator Ningi’s can of worms were not eye sores enough, Senator Agom Jarigbe alleged that “so-called Senior Senators collected N500 million each” while he, even though a ranking Senator, didn’t benefit from the booty. Definitely, this booty must have been brought from a part of the 2024 appropriation that is not apparent to the prying public. The proliferation of shoddy and abandoned projects due to budget padding and monumental corruption in the National Assembly compromises oversight functions. When funds are siphoned off through corruption, there often isn’t enough funding left to complete projects adequately, leading to ineffective infrastructure. This undermines the ability of lawmakers to monitor project implementation and hold agencies accountable.
Corruption within the National Assembly compromises oversight functions and erodes public trust. Citizens are left with inadequate infrastructure, hindering economic development and the quality of life. Comprehensive reforms are necessary to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance to combat corruption effectively and deliver meaningful development outcomes for Nigerians.
Let me conclude by asking Nigerians to request the refund of the so-called “Constituency allowance” and let the Legislators stick with their constitutional responsibilities of making laws and oversight functions; they should stop this thieving custom of looting through appropriating projects to themselves.
Thank you for reading my piece.
Elder Ayoade Adekola, Chairman of Mega Praise Committee, Former full-time Member, Oyo State Housing Cooperation Board