Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has criticized President Bola Tinubu for allegedly permitting budget padding by the National Assembly.
His remarks follow revelations that a ₦1.4 billion road project in Ogun State was inserted into the budget of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), an agency whose mandate is strictly educational.
The commission, already under scrutiny for allocating ₦8.4 billion to road projects in Ogun, Ekiti, and Katsina states, denied responsibility, blaming lawmakers for inserting “off-mandate” constituency projects into its 2026 budget.
Speaking at the Penpushing Media 8th Anniversary Lecture in Abeokuta, Falana described the development as a clear case of illegal insertions.
He urged a thorough review of the budget to remove such projects, lamenting that the practice persists because the President fails to veto them.
“Members of the National Assembly insert projects into the budget of agencies of government. Now that it has been exposed, I hope there will be a re-examination. But it appears the President allows it,” Falana said.
He further warned that unchecked corruption continues to thrive due to weak institutions, stressing that the scale of looting may only be fully revealed after the current administration leaves office.
Falana encouraged citizens to report suspicious wealth to anti-graft agencies like the EFCC and ICPC, insisting that accountability requires collective action.
Other speakers at the event included Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, founder of Penpushing Media, who reaffirmed the outlet’s commitment to ethical journalism, and Tunde Lemo, former Deputy Governor of the CBN, who emphasized that credible 2027 elections depend on party discipline and democratic principles.
The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola, also highlighted the importance of citizen participation in safeguarding electoral integrity.
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