PDP Faults Tinubu’s 2025 Budget as “Unrealistic, Anti-People”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vehemently criticised the N47.9 trillion 2025 federal budget presented by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly, describing it as “hopeless, shady, and disingenuous.” In a press statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the opposition party raised concerns about the budget’s potential to exacerbate insecurity, poverty, and hardship in Nigeria if implemented in its current form.

The PDP condemned the budget’s apparent neglect of critical productive sectors such as agriculture, electricity, petroleum, and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), which are pivotal to reviving the nation’s economy. According to the party, the presentation lacked clarity and substance, branding Tinubu’s budget address as “campaign rhetoric laced with unsubstantiated economic statistics, false promises, and conjured performance claims.”

Lack of Transparency Sparks Concerns

A significant point of contention for the PDP was the absence of a detailed breakdown of recurrent and capital expenditures in the proposed budget. The party questioned the transparency and accountability of the Tinubu administration, asserting that Nigerians deserve a clear understanding of how public funds are allocated.

The PDP also criticised the ambitious economic projections in the budget, including reducing inflation from 34.6% to 15% and improving the naira’s exchange rate from N1,700 to N1,500 per dollar. The opposition described these goals as unrealistic, given the lack of investment in the productive sector necessary to achieve such targets. The party warned that the government’s reliance on these projections could further erode public trust in its economic policies.

PDP Flags Debt Concerns and Heavy Taxation

The PDP highlighted Nigeria’s staggering N134.3 trillion debt burden, expressing alarm over the proposed reliance on increased taxes and levies to fund the N13 trillion budget deficit. It warned that this approach would impose undue pressure on already struggling citizens and businesses.

The opposition party criticised the N15.8 trillion allocation for debt servicing, arguing that it demonstrated a lack of commitment to addressing the root causes of Nigeria’s economic woes. “This budget will shrink our national business environment, further cripple the productive sector, discourage domestic and foreign investors, and push millions more Nigerians into poverty,” the statement added.

Inadequate Investment in Critical Sectors

The PDP lambasted the Tinubu administration for neglecting crucial sectors like agriculture, electricity, petroleum, and small and medium-scale enterprises. “With a staggering N134.3 trillion debt and no tangible investment in the productive sector, these projections are unrealistic and detrimental to economic growth,” the statement read.

The party also pointed out the lack of clarity in the budget’s allocation of funds, particularly between capital and recurrent expenditures. “The absence of transparency in these allocations raises serious concerns about the sincerity of this administration to improve the living conditions of Nigerians,” the PDP noted.

Calls for Legislative Action and Budget Revision

The PDP called on the National Assembly to reject the 2025 budget in its current form, urging lawmakers to exercise their constitutional powers under Sections 80, 81, and 82 of the 1999 Constitution. The party stressed the importance of revising the budget to prioritise allocations that stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve the welfare of Nigerians.

The opposition also criticised President Tinubu for allegedly misrepresenting the state of the economy. “It is distressing that President Tinubu claims economic improvement under his watch, even in the face of acute poverty, excruciating hardship, and comatose infrastructure,” the statement read. The PDP reiterated its demand for a transparent, inclusive, and people-centered budget that addresses Nigeria’s pressing socio-economic challenges.

::The PDP’s strong opposition to President Tinubu’s 2025 budget underscores the deep political and economic divisions in Nigeria. As the budget debate intensifies, all eyes will be on the National Assembly to determine whether it will heed the PDP’s call to restructure the proposal or approve it in its current form. For many Nigerians, the stakes could not be higher as they await tangible solutions to the nation’s economic and social challenges.