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SERAP Criticizes ₦9.4 Billion Travel And Catering Budget, Calls For Fiscal Responsibility Amid Economic Crisis
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to drastically reduce the extravagant budget allocations for the presidency and National Assembly in the 2025 budget.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
SERAP argues that the ₦9.4 billion allocated for travel, meals, and catering for the presidency, along with the proposed ₦344.85 billion for lawmakers, represents unnecessary expenditure. The group insists that these funds could be better used to address Nigeria’s growing budget deficit and improve public services.
In a letter dated December 21, 2024, and made public on Sunday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, expressed concern over the excessive spending, noting that such allocations would violate the Nigerian Constitution, given the country’s current economic challenges and high levels of borrowing to fund the 2025 budget.
The organization urged Akpabio and Abbas to request that President Bola Tinubu present a revised supplementary appropriation bill that reflects cuts to the budgets for the presidency and the National Assembly. SERAP also called for transparency, asking the National Assembly to publicly disclose the breakdown of the proposed budget and commit to reducing the ₦344.85 billion allocated for 2025.
SERAP highlighted the significant increase in funding for asset repairs, noting that the 2025 budget proposes ₦26 billion for rehabilitation and repairs—₺12 billion more than the ₦14 billion allocated in 2024.
The organization also criticized the presidency’s proposed ₦8.74 billion for travel expenses, which includes ₦7.01 billion for the Office of the President and ₦1.73 billion specifically for Vice President Kashim Shettima’s travel.
Additionally, the presidency’s catering budget of ₦546 million for food and ₦71 million for refreshments was also flagged, with SERAP expressing concern about the public perception of such spending amid Nigeria’s ongoing borrowing crisis. The group further questioned the National Assembly’s consistent budgeting for identical items year after year, raising concerns over fiscal accountability.
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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has revealed that his push for an opposition coalition was initially rejected by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Atiku made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, where he reflected on events following the PDP’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election. According to him, he warned party leaders after the election that the PDP could struggle politically without forming alliances with other opposition forces. “To be honest, I was one of the major initiators of this coalition. After the PDP lost the last election, I told the party clearly that I did not see a future for the PDP without a coalition,” he said. Atiku said his advice was rejected at the time, despite his conviction that Nigeria’s political history had shown the importance of alliances. “They disagreed with me then. I have studied Nigeria’s political transition over the years and saw how previous alliances worked, so it was not difficult for me to foresee this,” he stated. The former vice president added that his support for coalition politics was also influenced by his desire to encourage the emergence of younger leaders he believes are vital to Nigeria’s future. “I saw some of these younger politicians as the future leaders of this country, and I felt it was my duty to point that out,” he said. However, Atiku claimed the resistance he encountered within the party was driven more by personal feelings than by disagreement over the substance of his proposal. “They disagreed with me simply because they did not want to see my face, not because of what I was suggesting,” he said. Atiku added that recent political developments have now vindicated his position on the need for a broad opposition alliance ahead of future elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will first pursue a consensus arrangement before considering a primary election for its 2027 presidential ticket.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Atiku made this known during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday while discussing the party’s leadership and strategy ahead of the next general election.
He said he is open to backing a consensus candidate if that becomes the party’s collective decision, stressing that such support should not be interpreted as stepping aside.
“It is not about stepping aside, but whether I am willing to support, and yes, I will,” Atiku said.
According to him, the ADC’s first priority is to build internal unity and reach an agreement among stakeholders before considering a competitive primary process.
“Our first option will be to work out a consensus. If that doesn’t happen, then of course we will explore other options. And yes, I will support whoever eventually emerges,” he stated.
Atiku also expressed confidence in the political experience within the party, saying he believes a consensus is achievable and may make a full-scale primary contest unnecessary.
“That remains our preferred path. We will go for primaries if consensus fails, but I honestly do not expect it to get to that stage because we are dealing with mature and experienced politicians,” he added.
His comments come amid growing political consultations and coalition talks as parties begin to position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has significantly strengthened his chances of winning the 2027 presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Atiku made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday. Speaking on what makes his latest presidential bid different from previous attempts, Atiku said the ADC coalition brings together key political figures from across major parties, including the APC, PDP and Labour Party. He described the alliance as a broader and more strategic political arrangement ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to him, the coalition has created a stronger platform that improves his prospects. “Now, we have a broader coalition — a combination of APC, PDP and LP — which gives me a better chance of becoming president in 2027,” he said. Atiku also noted that the coalition reflects both experience and generational inclusion, which he said shows a clear succession plan. “You see people of my generation, and you see younger people coming behind us, so you can clearly see a succession pattern,” he added. Meanwhile, Atiku described former President Goodluck Jonathan as a decent but inexperienced leader. According to him, Jonathan’s lack of experience contributed to shortcomings in governance and played a role in his defeat in the 2015 presidential election. “I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man, but he was also inexperienced, and that contributed to his failure in managing the affairs of the country,” Atiku said. He made the remarks while stressing the need for experienced and capable leadership in Nigeria.
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