A coalition of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, operating under the auspices of Coalition for Transparency and Accountability in Public Financing, CTAP, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, over what they described as his “gross mismanagement” of the budget process in the President’s first year in office.
The groups, including prominent bodies like OpenHouse, the Nigerian Socio-Economic Rights Concern, The Transparency and Accountability Project ,TAP, and other advocacy organisations, have raised serious concerns about the lack of transparency and professional misconduct surrounding the handling of the 2024 budgets. They accuse Bagudu of overseeing a process marred by “incompetence, opacity, and corruption”.
In a joint statement, the CSOs led by Comrade Abdul Shettima said, “The 2024 budget process has been one of the most unaccountable in Nigeria’s history. It’s deeply concerning that fraudulent and inflated projects were smuggled into the budget by contractors who were granted free rein to insert proposals without scrutiny. This is a dangerous precedent, and Bagudu must be held accountable”.
This is the first time in Nigeria’s modern history that the federal budget has come under such widespread and pointed criticism from a coalition of reputable CSOs. They argue that the minister’s actions have not only eroded trust in the government’s fiscal policies but also threatened the very foundation of Nigeria’s economic stability.
BudgIT, a civic organisation that advocates for transparency in government spending, had in several publications highlighted the lack of clear accountability in the budget drafting process. According to its findings, several projects, many of them non-existent or inflated, were inserted into the budget, with no due diligence carried out by the ministry under Bagudu’s leadership.
CTAP, known for its anti-corruption stance, also weighed in, accusing Bagudu of leading a “shameless” and “inept” process that prioritised the interests of corrupt contractors over the welfare of ordinary Nigerians. “This budget, if left unchecked, could entrench a culture of fraud and deepen Nigeria’s fiscal crisis”, CTAP said.
The coalition stressed that President Tinubu’s commitment to fiscal reform and economic recovery would be seriously undermined if Bagudu is allowed to remain in office. “Allowing Bagudu to oversee another budget process would be a disservice to the Nigerian people, and a stain on the president’s promise of a new era of accountability and good governance”, they added.
As the Tinubu administration prepares to present its economic plans for the coming year, pressure is mounting for a drastic shake-up within key ministries. For many Nigerians, the handling of the 2024 budget has become a litmus test for the government’s commitment to transparency, especially in light of Nigeria’s worsening economic situation.
Despite the outcry, Bagudu has remained silent on the allegations, and the presidency has yet to issue a response. However, the growing demands for his removal are unlikely to fade away, as the chorus of discontent from civil society grows louder.
As the budget process continues, it remains to be seen whether President Tinubu will take decisive action to address these concerns, or if the controversies surrounding Bagudu will cast a long shadow over the administration’s fiscal credibility
