Reps Block 2026 Budget Talks Over Unpaid 2024–2025 Projects

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, over the Federal Government’s weak performance in implementing the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

The lawmakers held a closed-door meeting on Tuesday with both ministers, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, and the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji.

A lawmaker who attended the meeting disclosed that discussions centered on the failure to release funds for already executed capital projects under the 2024 and 2025 budgets. According to him, members were visibly angered by the growing backlog of unpaid contractors.

As a result, the House resolved that it would not consider the 2026 Appropriation Bill until all outstanding obligations from the 2024 and 2025 budgets are settled.

In protest, lawmakers suspended deliberation on about 42 bills earlier scheduled for various legislative stages. They also postponed the presentation of four committee reports seeking to establish agricultural colleges and specialised institutions across several states. For the third time, the House equally stepped down consideration of the constitution review report submitted last week.

The executive session lasted nearly two and a half hours and ended without an official statement. However, a source at the meeting revealed that many lawmakers were dissatisfied with what they described as President Bola Tinubu’s poor budget performance so far.

“It was still the same issue, poor implementation of the capital components of the 2024 and 2025 budgets. Projects have been completed, yet no payments have been made. This is embarrassing,” the source said.

He added that despite assurances from government officials, members remained sceptical. “The Accountant-General pleaded for 48 hours to address the concerns of local contractors. While we granted the request, many of us are not optimistic,” he said.

Edo lawmaker, Billy Osawaru, urged the Federal Government to urgently settle the debts, stressing that many contractors financed projects through bank loans.

“These contractors have fulfilled their obligations and deserve prompt payment. Most of them took loans using collateral. The executive must restore its credibility,” he said.

Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, also criticised the level of budget implementation, insisting that full execution was necessary to rebuild public trust.

House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, acknowledged lawmakers’ concerns but expressed hope that engagements with the executive would soon improve capital releases. He noted that delayed funding slows development, weakens infrastructure delivery, and erodes public confidence.

Meanwhile, former Chief Economist at Zenith Bank, Marcel Okeke, condemned the Federal Government’s handling of successive budgets, describing the overlapping budget cycles as a serious violation of due process.

He warned that distorted budget timelines encourage corruption and undermine economic planning, adding that unlike previous administrations, the current approach has thrown fiscal discipline into disarray.

The House is expected to resume normal legislative activities on Wednesday.