Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has renewed Tinubu’s resignation over alleged N8.83tn secret spending. He asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step down after fresh concerns about government spending.
Obi based his demand on a recent disclosure by the International Monetary Fund. He said the report raised serious questions about accountability, corruption, and fiscal management.
In a statement on Sunday, Obi said the IMF reported that spending equal to about two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025 was not included in the national budget.
Obi said Tinubu’s resignation over alleged N8.83tn secret spending became necessary because about N8.83 trillion was reportedly spent outside the approved budget. He argued that the money escaped legislative oversight and proper government checks.
He described the development as shocking. He said the amount is more than one-third of the N23.96 trillion capital budget for 2025.
Obi added that the figure is higher than the combined allocations for education and health this year.
He said the money could have improved healthcare, education, job creation, and industrial growth if the government had managed it properly.
Obi claimed the report showed a repeated pattern of financial mismanagement. He warned that ignoring public finance rules could harm national security, economic growth, and public institutions.
He also accused the administration of failing to improve the welfare of Nigerians despite rising poverty and poor infrastructure.
Obi said the latest IMF disclosure strengthened his earlier demand that President Tinubu should leave office. He recalled that he had previously cited insecurity, economic hardship, and poor performance.
He urged Nigerians to demand greater accountability through lawful means. He also called on public institutions to uphold transparency in managing public funds.
The comments followed remarks by IMF Resident Representative in Nigeria, Christian Ebeke, who said about two per cent of Nigeria’s GDP was spent outside the budget in 2025.
Obi’s statement also came a day after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the alleged off-budget spending.
