Public Affairs Analyst, Charles Bamidele has reacted strongly to recent revelations that the National Assembly inserted over 11,000 projects worth 6.93 trillion Naira into Nigeria’s 2025 budget.
Speaking on the News Panorama segment of the Royal FM Ilorin Morning Mix programme, Bamidele said the issue of budget padding has persisted due to Nigeria’s failure to act on faulty or absent data and punish those found guilty.
He described many inserted projects as nepotistic, warning that such practices continue because there are no consequences.
Bamidele called for a comprehensive audit of Nigeria’s budgets from 1999 to date, insisting that the country is being economically drained by the political elite.
According to him, budget padding is not limited to top-level officials but also occurs at the grassroots, making it a widespread and systemic issue.
