Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has once again raised the alarm over deep-rooted corruption in Nigeria, condemning the recent revelation of ₦7 trillion in questionable insertions into the 2025 national budget.
In a strongly worded statement, Obi described the country as a “relentless scene of corruption,” asserting that Nigeria must cease functioning as a crime scene if it is ever to achieve genuine development. He insisted that the ₦7 trillion uncovered by BudgIT, a civil society organization focused on transparency, likely represents only a fraction of the actual misappropriated funds.
“These findings are deeply troubling and confirm my long-held position that we have turned our country into a crime scene,” Obi said. “This entrenched corruption—persistent and deeply rooted—must be nipped in the bud if there is to be any meaningful turnaround.”
The former Anambra State governor expressed outrage that the ₦7 trillion inserted into the budget surpasses the combined allocations to key ministries responsible for education, health, agriculture, and humanitarian services. According to him, these vital sectors received the following in the 2025 budget:
Ministry of Education – ₦3.52 trillion
Ministry of Health – ₦2.48 trillion
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation – ₦260 billion
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security – ₦636.08 billion
Combined, the four ministries received ₦6.896 trillion, still less than the padded ₦7 trillion.
Obi also compared the figure to the ₦6.1 trillion allocated to national security, highlighting the irony of underfunding security in a country grappling with terrorism and insecurity.
“This brazen impunity by our leaders is precisely why the country cannot invest adequately in education, health, agriculture, and small businesses. The result is nearly 20 million out-of-school children, malnourished infants, widespread hunger, and crippled security operations,” Obi warned.
Calling for urgent reforms, Obi urged transparency, accountability, and strategic investment in sectors critical to Nigeria’s growth. “We must confront this corruption and fiscal recklessness with unwavering resolve. Our resources must be transparently managed to secure a better future for our people.”
Reaffirming his commitment to national transformation, Obi concluded, “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
