Senator Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of putting political ambition ahead of national progress, citing delays in completing the capital section of the 2024 budget.
Senator Dickson voiced worry during Tuesday’s plenary session about the federal government’s failure to provide funding for capital projects despite fully disbursing recurring expenditures for salaries and administrative operations.
“Government has grounded, that’s what it means,” he stated. “Contractors who completed government projects remain underpaid. The benefits of the budget, which we worked so hard to pass, have yet to reach the people.”
The senator expressed concern that the national budget’s development component, which has a direct impact on infrastructure and service delivery, has not been addressed. He cited recent stories of contractor demonstrations, claiming that many MPs were aware of the mounting frustration.
Dickson spoke during deliberations on a resolution presented by Senator Solomon Adeola (Ogun West), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The motion proposed extending the implementation date for the 2024 capital budget to December 31, 2025.
Dickson supported the motion but lamented the lack of a credible justification for the delayed budget rollout. He indicated that the administration’s disproportionate concentration on political strategies and defections ahead of the 2027 general elections may be diverting its attention away from essential governance tasks.
“Maybe there is too much preoccupation with politics and 2027,” he joked. “Maybe there is too much concentration on receiving defectors, while no one is looking at the big picture.”
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He warned that, despite greater money from the removal of gasoline subsidies, both the executive and parliamentary branches are failing to fulfill their constitutional tasks.
“The availability of funds is not an issue. State and local governments are receiving more money than ever before. So, what’s the reason behind the delay?”
Dickson demanded an immediate probe into the matter, pushing the Senate Appropriations and Finance Committees to hold a joint hearing and report back within a week.
“We need answers. These committees should conduct fact-finding missions and report back to the Senate to ensure that this situation does not occur again.”
The senator’s comments reflect rising worries about the Tinubu administration’s governance goals, as well as the real-world consequences of delayed infrastructure expenditure for both citizens and contractors.
