FG Knocks Obi’s Comment on Supplementary Budget

The Federal Government has criticized Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party in the election scheduled for February 25, for his remarks regarding the recently adopted supplemental budget.

Obi’s remark that the supplemental budget was insensitive to the people was condemned by the FG, which pointed out that it is a “bold and pragmatic response” to urgent national concerns.

Obi had bemoaned in a post on his X handle on Wednesday that even though President Bola Tinubu had signed the supplemental budget at a “late” point in the year, it had neglected to include “urgent items of national welfare.”

The former governor of Anambra State denounced the FG’s action as “insensitive” and “uncaring.”

The budget that Tinubu signed into law on Wednesday, according to Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, was a manifestation of the administration’s “bold and pragmatic response to the pressing and economic challenges Nigeria currently faces.”

This was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday by Rabiu Ibrahim, the minister’s special assistant for media, a copy of which our correspondent was able to get.

Idris urged “the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party to take the time and effort to acquaint himself with the details of the N2.17 trillion 2023 Supplementary Budget, which includes allocations for essential sectors: security, agriculture and food security, works and housing, wage increase for workers, student loan scheme and social safety nets, among others, all aimed at strengthening the country’s economic foundations and improve the living conditions of Nigerians.

“The broad provisions in the supplementary budget are a reflection of President Tinubu’s strong desire and eagerness to support the vital functions of government, address urgent security needs, and fast-track the country’s recovery process from the economic impact occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.”

The statement added that the minister urged the “political opposition to be informed and balanced in the exercise of their right to differing opinions and refrain from misrepresentation of facts for political gains,”

He further explained that the supplementary budget was “derived from the active engagement and consultation with relevant stakeholders who ensured that the budgetary provisions aligned with the needs and expectations of Nigerians.”

The minister noted that all items contained in the budget had been “meticulously scrutinised” before its passage into law; a show of Tinubu’s “inclination to accountability and transparency in government expenditure,” to “ensure efficient utilisation of public funds.”