The supplementary budget is not adequately addressing urgent national needs and emergencies, as voiced by Peter Obi.

 

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last presidential election, has criticized the 2023 supplementary budget, claiming it highlights the Federal Government's insensitivity to the needs of the masses and the nation's urgent emergencies.

Obi expressed his disappointment that the supplementary budget did not adequately address the pressing national needs and emergencies facing the country. President Bola Tinubu recently signed the 2023 supplementary appropriation bill, totaling N2.17 trillion.

The supplementary budget allocation of N605 billion for security was emphasized, intended to enhance the capabilities of the armed forces and security agencies to address current and emerging security challenges. Other provisions included N5.5 billion for a student loan scheme and over N616 billion in wage awards for civil servants to mitigate the increased cost of living post-subsidy.

In response, the Senate has announced its intention to investigate the purchase of a N5 billion presidential yacht and the circumstances surrounding it.

Peter Obi expressed his concerns on Twitter, emphasizing that a supplementary budget should prioritize national welfare needs not initially addressed in the main budget. He pointed out that the supplementary budget came late in the financial year and should primarily focus on urgent national welfare items.

Obi referred to a report from the United Nations and the World Food Programme, projecting that about 6.5 million Nigerians would suffer from hunger in 2024, primarily in Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, and Zamfara States. He suggested that the supplementary budget could have addressed this impending catastrophe by providing provisions to mitigate the threat.

He further criticized the fact that the supplementary budget included extravagant expenditures such as a presidential yacht, presidential jets, and the furnishing of lavishly furnished presidential quarters and offices, rather than focusing on urgent social welfare issues.

Obi's tweets highlighted the government's lack of awareness of the country's crisis and the government's disconnection from the suffering of the general population. He concluded that the majority of the funding for these lavish expenses would be borrowed, emphasizing the need for empathy and realism from the government during these challenging times, rather than extravagant indulgence.