Headline

NDC Candidate, Mahama, Rejects Supreme Court Judgement on 2020 Election Petition (See Full Speech)

Published

5 years ago

March 5, 2021

Eric

NATIONAL ADDRESS BY H.E. JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS AFTER THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT ON THE 2020 ELECTION PETITION

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,

Earlier today, the Supreme Court of Ghana delivered its verdict on a petition we filed against the declaration made on the evening of 9^th December 2020 by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Mrs. Jean Mensa, on the Presidential Elections of December 7, 2020.

My brothers and sisters, I did not take the decision to go to court lightly. In fact, many were those who expressed misgivings about my decision, not because we did not have a strong case, but because of the times we live in.

I still believe that no matter the circumstances, it was the right thing to do. It is gratifying that the court’s proceedings were broadcast live. Ghanaians followed the hearings diligently. They understood what was happening even if the legal terminologies were not always easy to grasp.

Even though the petition to the Supreme Court stood in my name, it nonetheless represented the desire of an overwhelming number of Ghanaians, anxious for answers from the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission as the Returning Officer of the December 2020 Presidential Election.

Ghanaians were hoping to hear her testify and many are still baffled by the refusal of Mrs. Jean Mensa to be held to account by testifying in this case – unfortunately, with the unanimous agreement of the justices of the Supreme Court of Ghana. This vital part of the process to establish the truth and hold Mrs. Jean Mensa accountable was blocked time and again by a protective cordon and firewall that I am sure have confounded many Ghanaians.

The refusal of the Chairperson is in sharp contrast to the readiness with which Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, then Chairman of the Electoral Commission willingly testified in the 2013 Election petition filed by then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP.

Speaking as a Ghanaian, with no legal training, I believe that the refusal of the Electoral Commission Chairperson to testify in this election petition, leaves a bad precedent for the future. I disagree with the suggestion of our Justices that an election petition is akin to any other civil litigation and therefore an EC Chairperson, whose functions go to the heart of our democracy, can by a legal sleight of hand avoid accounting for her stewardship in an appropriate forum such as the highest court of the land.

Our legal team, led by Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, put together our case in a clear manner, which left no one in doubt about what the issues were. Apart from seeking to ensure compliance with the constitution and for the true choice of the people of Ghana to be respected, the Petition sought to provide opportunity for transparency and accountability in the management of our electoral processes. But no one who followed the proceedings in the Supreme Court will be surprised with the judgement pronounced some hours ago.

Much as I am aware that we are legally bound by the decision of the Supreme Court, I disagree with the process of trial and ruling of the court.

Ladies and Gentlemen, our 1992 Constitution says very directly in Article 125 Section 1 that: “Justice emanates from the people and shall be administered in the name of the Republic by the Judiciary, which shall be independent and subject only to this constitution.”

I believe that the law should not be an instrument for partisan purposes. I also believe that the rule of law should mean one rule for all. What anchors the rule of law is equality and fairness to all, irrespective of creed, background, or political coloration. Justice, we must remember, is rooted in moral foundations.

Ghanaians will always remember that moment when my lead counsel, Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, quoted from the Holy Bible urging the Justices of the Supreme Court to be faithful to their Judicial Oath and their conscience, only for the lawyer representing Nana Akufo-Addo, the 2^nd Respondent, to argue for the exclusion of God in the matter. Yet, in the courts of Ghana, we swear on the Bible or the Cross, as we also do with the Holy Koran, to speak the truth and nothing but the truth.

Ghanaians will also remember this 2021 Election Petition for that profound moment when the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission opted to evade public scrutiny. Everything was done in this trial to prevent the Commission from accounting to the people in whose name they hold office.

Requests for Interrogatories were dismissed. A request to inspect documents in the possession of the Commission was turned down. The request for admission of facts was ignored.

Worse still, she was aided by her counsel and the court to avoid explaining to the good people of Ghana from her own testimony, under oath in a properly constituted court of law, the errors she herself admits to have committed in the declaration of the 2020 Presidential election results.

This is a clear stab in the heart of transparency and accountability to the sovereign people of Ghana. Whatever the reasons for not allowing Mrs. Jean Mensa to testify or answer any questions, it leaves an embarrassing stain, not only on our justice delivery system but also, on the nation’s electoral system, which has deepened the grave doubts harboured by many Ghanaians about the true outcome of the December 2020 Presidential Election.

The motto of Ghana’s Electoral Commission is Transparency, Fairness and Integrity – principles the key actors clearly failed to live up to on this occasion. The refusal to account to Ghanaians, further, sets the worrying precedent – and I do really worry about this dangerous precedent – that may allow other heads of state institutions to adopt an approach of opacity and non-accountability in their work.

Just because they can rely on unconvincing interpretations of our laws to shield them from scrutiny in the near future. I hope and pray that time will prove me wrong.

There is a famous legal maxim brought into common use by Lord Chief Justice Hewart in 1924, that “Justice must not only be done but should manifestly and undoubtedly seen to be done”.

While judgement was given in this petition, it cannot be said by many to have been seen to be done by the constant unanimous strictures placed on the petitioner in laying out his case.

I have followed the proceedings of this petition and listened to the testimony of our General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah from beginning to end. I am quite alarmed at the mutilation of his testimony in the Supreme Court ruling.

Indeed, the ruling I heard today, virtually makes him the star witness of the 1^st and 2^nd Respondents. Many answers of his testimony in cross examination were taken out of context to create the basis for the dismissal of our election petition.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this case will go into the Ghana Law Reports for the future, and academics and students of law alike will clearly find befuddling, the internal contradictions in our jurisprudence. At the appropriate time, the legal team will come out with detailed comments on the judgment.

The Supreme Court has given its verdict, but the national debate on the dismal state of our democracy and the increasing weakness of its institutions has only just begun. It is time we all come together to confront those who seek to destroy the very democratic system that brought them into office. It is our patriotic duty to do so.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it bears reiterating that our grievances with the conduct of the 2020 elections was not limited to just the Presidential elections. Doubts about the Commission’s commitment to fairness and transparency have lingered much longer than the duration of this Petition.

The doubts have attended their every action, and rightly so, because of their posturing and sometimes duplicitous conduct. As I have alluded to in the past, the current leadership of the Commission, was installed after the politically motivated removal of the previous leadership. Since then, every step they have taken has appeared to be calculated at ensuring the retention of the appointing authority in power.

Aside from the compilation of a new voter register in the midst of a pandemic, one that many Civil Society Organisations, political and governance experts insist was more procurement-induced than need-based, the time-tested process of consultation and dialogue among stakeholders through the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) was supplanted by unilateralism. This has not boded well for harmonious relations with stakeholders.

Compared to the two previous leaderships of the Commission, what we have now does not meet even the minimum requirements of neutrality and non-partisanship that are essential for consolidating our democracy. The much-touted independence of the Electoral Commission exists only in name now. This should give all Ghanaians cause to worry.

Today, we still have as a member of the Commission, someone who publicly stated that the political party, which I led into the December 2020 election is an existential threat to Ghana’s democracy. And yet that same member presided over an election in which the same political party participated.

In the Parliamentary elections, the NDC won majority of seats. However, through devious manipulation by officials of the Electoral Commission, a number of these seats were illegally declared for the NPP.

In some instances, the manipulation was so glaring and brazen that simple intervention by the leadership of the Electoral Commission as has been done by previous Commissioners could have addressed the issues and righted the wrongs to make court actions completely unnecessary.

Therefore, it is not surprising that International Election Observers captured collation and tallying of results as one of the challenges of our 2020 elections. The posture and approach of this current Electoral Commission does not inspire the confidence needed to preside over any transparent, free and fair election.

They have absolutely no reason to remain in office. This is because the Electoral Commission must remain a neutral arbiter and the organizer of elections. They must not hold a vested interest in the dubious victory of one party over another.

The loyalty of the Electoral Commission must be to the people of Ghana and the Constitution from which it derives its mandate, and not the President or party under whose tenure the leadership is appointed. Immediate reforms, reflecting the long-standing image and reputation of our Electoral Commission as one of the finest and most credible on the continent and indeed the world, must be one of the focuses of public advocacy, if future elections are to be devoid of needless tensions and anxiety.

My brothers and sisters, we cannot forget the burning issue of the deliberate exclusion of the good people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) from the Parliamentary election of 2020. This constitutes perhaps, the gravest injustice of the 2020 elections. It can easily fit into the worst forms of electoral trickery ever witnessed in our nation’s history.

Despite the shenanigans employed by the conspirators in this issue, it is abundantly clear that the rights of the people of SALL to vote, was intentionally violated as part of a move to ensure the predetermined election outcome of a particular Parliamentary constituency. This represents unparalleled abuse of power by both the government and its handmaiden, the Electoral Commission, to influence the outcome of the Parliamentary election in Hohoe.

It is even more staggering that no one has stepped forward to take responsibility for this unjustifiable action nor indicated any clear remedy for the harm caused. We cannot as a people countenance this kind of gerrymandering and chicanery in our politics. We must with one accord, demand immediate resolution of the impasse in the SALL area and take urgent steps to afford the people their right to vote and be represented.

My brothers and sisters, we entered the 2020 elections against an incumbent that was determined to abuse power and misuse state resources and institutions to achieve electoral victory. The run-up to the election and some of the processes involved were characterized by intimidation and harassment from state security agents and others loyal to the current regime.

Selective deployment of military personnel was used as a tool to instil fear in some of our citizens to dissuade them from taking part in the voter registration and other processes. Others were falsely branded as foreigners and their citizenship called into question unjustly – an abhorrent nation-wrecking prejudice which has been directed especially against certain ethic groups of this country and has continued till date and has even recently been visited crudely on the Auditor General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo.

In the last election, unprecedented levels of state funds and resources were doled out by the ruling party, and unprovoked, deadly violence inflicted on our citizens in several cases. In the process, eight of our compatriots were murdered in cold blood and several others maimed during the process of the elections.

We have designated these compatriots, whose blood was shed just because they sought to participate in what was a purely civil exercise as “MARTYRS OF DEMOCRACY” to whom we shall dedicate an appropriate monument when the time comes.

I hope we can count on all well-meaning Ghanaians to support our efforts to bring the perpetrators of these murders to justice. Never must a government be allowed to turn the simple process of an election into a bloodbath. Never must impunity of this magnitude be allowed to fester in our democracy.

Our independence and the current democracy we enjoy were fought for and attained through the sacrifice and blood of our founding fathers, mothers and our compatriots. Never must we accept convenience over principle.

I take this opportunity to express my deep-seated appreciation to our lawyers, led by the colossus of a legal mind, Tsatsu Tsikata, for a valiant fight, which has won the admiration of many. Against considerable odds, they persisted and drove home our point in a manner that convinced all fair-minded observers about the just cause we had embarked on.

I express similar gratitude to all who played diverse roles in putting our case together. I salute our three key witnesses – our General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Dr. Michael Kpessah Whyte and Rojo Mettle-Nunoo for helping to unravel a part of the untold story of the flawed 2020 elections.

I also wish to place on record that the service rendered to me by my legal team in this petition was gratis – free. We may not have been successful. But your hard work and sacrifice will not go unheralded when the full story is told.

I am very much aware that there are millions watching and listening to me who are disappointed at the outcome of this case. For those millions, like myself, who held out hope that our democracy would be advanced by the process and outcome of this petition, you must be disappointed.

But I encourage you to hold your heads up high and channel your disappointment into hard work that will ensure that, come next election, we will achieve a truly transparent and fair election, which we all as Ghanaians can be proud of.

To all my compatriots and supporters, we may have lost the temporary battle of the 2020 election and the Petition that followed, but the larger struggle to create a society that lives up to our national motto of freedom and justice still rages on. It is a struggle, which requires even more commitment than before, and it is one that we will not shirk from until our patriotic aim is achieved.

To the millions of NDC supporters who have stood by me, my running mate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, our National Chairman, General Secretary, Campaign Chairman, FEC, NEC, Parliamentary Candidates, Sponsors and all activists and supporters who gave their all in the hope that we will win and form the next government to save our nation and meet your aspirations, do not despair at this outcome. I repeat. Do not despair! Never, ever lose hope.

We achieved an impressive showing in the last election, and despite the intimidation, obscene abuse of incumbency advantage and the massive use of funds and resources we can be proud that we gave it our best. Our have become stepping-stones on which the NDC can build to secure victory in the next elections.

The NDC will survive and grow from strength to strength. The sun may have set on our hopes for the just ended election today, but it will rise tomorrow and illuminate our path to a better outcome next time around.

To the Council of Elders, members of the National Executive Committee of the NDC, the Functional Executive Committee, the Election 2020 Campaign team, my Staff, party executives at all levels, volunteers, polling agents and all who played roles in our campaign, no matter how small, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The NDC will always remain the party of the people. The party was established to empower the people of Ghana to be architects of our own destiny. We blazed the trail for participatory democracy. And I am confident that out of the ashes of this legal setback, we will mobilize and rekindle the struggle for a better democratic Ghana.

We will be law abiding and do nothing to compromise the stability of the country. We will however continue to be the voice of the voiceless and will not be distracted demanding justice and fairness at all times. Neither will we surrender or fail to champion the rights of all our people to enjoy the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under our constitution.

To the over six million Ghanaians who entrusted me with their votes, I cannot thank you enough for this honour. I value your votes so much. It reflects the confidence you have in the ideology, the ethos and importantly the 2020 Peoples’ Manifesto of the NDC. We have proven to be the most viable path to rapid socio-economic development.

I can assure you that even though this was not the outcome we expected, I am sure your votes will spur us on to victory in the future elections.

I also wish to acknowledge and commend the courage and commitment of Civil Society Organisations, journalists and individuals who have dedicated their lives to speak truth to power irrespective of which party sits at the Flagstaff House.

Whiles in office, my administration tolerated your views even when we disagreed. We did not hound your souls. In similar vein, we encourage you to continue to hold all governments accountable as you have done in the past for it is your right to do so.

My brothers and sisters, I have had a relatively long and fulfilling journey of public life and service during which I have had the privilege to serve in various capacities. I have had my ups and downs like all humans, but I have at all times promoted unity and inclusion and not division; and I have always placed the interest and well-being of Ghana first. I will continue to do same even at this moment and beyond.

We have only one nation, Ghana, and we must work together to ensure progress and growth of our dear nation. We can only do this, if we ensure equality, freedom and justice for all our citizens.

Long Live the NDC!

Long Live Ghana!

I thank you all for your attention.

May God bless our homeland Ghana.

Headline

Tinubu’s 2026 Budget Bad Omen for Nigerians – PDP

Published

18 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The 2026 Appropriation Bill presented by President Bola Tinubu before a joint session of the National Assembly has been rated below par, and described as a bad omen for Nigerians, by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Friday that President Bola Tinubu’s 2026 budget would add to the sufferings of Nigeria rather than giving them any renewed hope or consolidation of economic reforms.

The party noted that there would be no renewed hope in an environment where hunger, insecurity and other forms of deprivation were the lot of Nigerians.

It cited the 2025 World Bank Poverty & Equity Brief, which placed more than 30.9% of Nigerians below the international extreme poverty line.

“This shows that there is growth without prosperity for our citizens, meaning that despite GDP growth, poverty remains endemic”, the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, stated on Friday soon after Tinubu presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill of N58.18trillion to a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives in Abuja.

Ememobong noted: “The budget, which is themed ‘Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity’, claims that the economy is stabilising and promises shared prosperity.

“In response, we see it rather as a budget of consolidated renewed sufferings, because what Nigerians have witnessed since the birth of this administration is nothing but unmitigated hardship on the people, while the governing class relishes in affluence.

“Nigerians have suffered greatly from many economic woes under this administration.

“President Tinubu cited a 3.98% GDP growth rate as evidence of economic stabilisation under his administration.

“However, it is well established that economic growth alone does not and cannot guarantee improved living standards for citizens.

“According to the 2025 World Bank Poverty & Equity Brief, more than 30.9% of Nigerians live below the international extreme poverty line. This shows that there is growth without prosperity for our citizens, meaning that despite GDP growth, poverty remains endemic.

“This clearly indicates that whatever economic gains exist are not reaching the majority of Nigerians.”

The PDP rejected the President’s figures on economic progress, saying rather that Nigeria has been on rever gear.

“The President stated that the economy under his watch grew by 3.98% without stating the sectors that stimulated the growth or identifying those who benefitted from it. This figure reflects the economic decline the nation has suffered under the leadership of the APC-led Federal government when compared to the growth rate of 6.87% recorded in 2013(same period under the last PDP administration), which was driven largely by non-oil sectors such as agriculture and trade.

“Today, the President celebrates a 3.98% growth rate, whereas a reality check reveals excruciating hunger, a high cost of living, and other indices of economic hardship, which Nigerians are currently facing.

“While we acknowledge the security allocation in the 2026 budget, we must remind the government and Nigerians that allocation alone is insufficient.”

The party added, “We therefore, demand effective and transparent execution to ensure that security funding translates into tangible improvements -modern equipment, adequate ammunition, improved intelligence capabilities, and better welfare for security personnel who are currently engaged in different theatres of armed conflict, where criminal non-state actors are alleged to possess superior arms compared to our security forces.

“Overall, we are deeply concerned about the unapologetic admission by the President that the execution of the 2024 capital budget had been extended to December 2025, while the 2025 budget is still in force.

“This confirms the long-standing rumours of the concurrent operation of multiple budgets.

“This cannot be described as best practice, as every budget has a defined period of operation and no two budgets should operate concurrently. The operation of different budgets at the same time undermines fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability. These multiple budgetary regimes show yet another unprecedented negative feat by this APC Bola Tinubu-led administration.

“We hereby call for increased transparency and accountability in the administration of the finances of our country, as these have been conspicuously absent so far under this administration.

“Financial accountability and transparency are critical to public trust-building and effective public administration.”

The budget with the theme, “Budget of consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity”, is N3.19trillion higher than the N54.99trillion approved for 2025.

The key aggregates of the budget are expected revenue of N34.33trillion; debt servicing of N15.52trillion; recurrent (non‑debt) expenditure of N15.25trillion; capital expenditure of N26.08trillion; a deficit of N23.85trillion representing 4.28% of GDP.

In addition, the budget will be benchmarked at $64.85 per barrel of crude oil, daily oil production of 1.8million barrels and a dollar/naira exchange.

Below is the full presentation of Tinubu’s 2026 Budget:

FULL SPEECH BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2026 NATIONAL BUDGET

“Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity”

Distinguished Senate President,
Rt. Honourable Speaker and Honourable Members of the House of Representatives,
Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the National Assembly,
Fellow Nigerians,,

1. I am here today to fulfil an essential constitutional obligation by presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill to this esteemed Joint Session of the National Assembly for your consideration.

2. This budget represents a defining moment in our national journey of reform and transformation. Over the last two and a half years, my government has methodically confronted long‑standing structural weaknesses, stabilised our economy, rebuilt confidence, and laid a durable foundation for the construction of a more resilient, inclusive, and dynamic Nigeria.

3. Though necessary, the reforms have not been painless. Families and businesses have faced pressure; established systems have been disrupted; and budget execution has been tested. I acknowledge these difficulties plainly. Yet, I am here, today, to assure Nigerians that their sacrifices are not in vain. The path of reform is seldom smooth, but it is the surest route to lasting stability and shared prosperity.

4. Today, I present a Budget that consolidates our gains, strengthens our resilience, and takes this country from out of the dark tunnel of hopelessness, from survival to growth.

5. The 2026 Budget is themed: “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity”. It reflects our determination to lock in macroeconomic stability, deepen competitiveness, and ensure that growth translates into decent jobs, rising incomes, and a better quality of life across for every Nigerian.

6. Mr. Chairman, Leaders of the National Assembly, while the global outlook continues to improve, this Budget aims to further strengthen our Nigerian economy to benefit all our citizens.

7. I am encouraged that our reform efforts are already yielding measurable results:
1) Our economy grew by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, up from 3.86 per cent in Q3 2024.

2) Inflation has moderated for eight consecutive months, with headline inflation declining to 14.45 per cent in November 2025, from 24.23 per cent in March 2025. With stabilising food and energy prices, tighter monetary conditions, and improving supply responses, we expect the deflationary trend to persist over the 2026 horizon, barring major supply shocks.

3) Oil production has improved, supported by enhanced security, technology deployment, and sector reforms.

4) Non‑oil revenues have expanded significantly through better tax administration.

5) Investor confidence is returning, reflected in capital inflows, renewed project financing, and stronger private‑sector participation.

6) Our external reserves rose to a 7‑year high of about US47 billion dollars as of last month, providing over 10 months of import cover and a more substantial buffer against shocks.

8. These outcomes are not accidental or lucky. They are the consequence of our difficult policy choices. Our next objective is to deepen our gains in pursuit of enduring and inclusive prosperity.

9. Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Members, our 2025 budget implementation faced the realities of transition and competing execution demands. As of Q3 2025, we recorded:
• 18.6 trillion naira in revenue — representing 61% of our target; and
• 24.66 trillion naira in expenditure — representing 60% of our target.

10. Following the extension of the 2024 capital budget execution to December 2025, a total of 2.23 trillion naira was released for the implementation of 2024 capital projects as of June 2025.

11. While fiscal challenges persisted, the government met its key obligations. However, only 3.10 trillion naira — about 17.7% of the 2025 capital budget — was released as of Q3, reflecting the emphasis on completing priority 2024 capital projects during the transition period.

12. Let me be clear: 2026 will be a year of stronger discipline in budget execution. I have issued directives to the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Accountant‑General of the Federation, and the Director‑General of the Budget Office of the Federation to ensure that the 2026 Budget is implemented strictly in line with the appropriated details and timelines.

13. We expect improved revenue performance through the new National Tax Acts and the ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector — reforms designed not merely to raise revenue, but to drive transparency, efficiency, fairness, and long‑term value in our fiscal architecture.

14. I have also provided clear and direct guidance regarding Government‑Owned Enterprises. Heads of all agencies have been directed to meet their assigned revenue targets. To support this, we will deploy end‑to‑end digitisation of revenue mobilisation — standardised e‑collections, interoperable payment rails, automated reconciliation, data‑driven risk profiling, and real‑time performance dashboards — so leakages are sealed, compliance is verifiable, and remittances are prompt. These targets will form core components of performance evaluations and institutional scorecards. Nigeria can no longer afford leakages, inefficiencies, or underperformance in strategic agencies. Every institution must play its part.

15. Mr Chairman and fellow Nigerians, the 2026 Budget is guided by four clear objectives:
1) Consolidate macroeconomic stability;
2) Improve the business and investment environment;
3) Promote job‑rich growth and reduce poverty; and
4) Strengthen human capital development while protecting the vulnerable.

16. In short: we will spend with purpose, manage debt with discipline, and pursue broad-based, sustainable growth.

17. Distinguished Members, the 2026 Federal Budget is anchored on realism, prudence, and growth.

18. The key aggregates are as follows:
1) Expected total revenue is 34.33 trillion naira.
2) Projected total expenditure is 58.18 trillion naira, including 15.52 trillion naira for debt servicing.
3) Recurrent (non‑debt) expenditure is 15.25 trillion naira.
4) Capital expenditure will be 26.08 trillion.
5) The Budget deficit is expected to be 23.85 trillion naira, representing 4.28% of GDP.

19. These numbers are not mere accounting lines. They are a statement of national priorities. We remain firmly committed to fiscal sustainability, debt transparency, and value‑for‑money spending.

20. The 2026–2028 Medium‑Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper sets the parameters for this Budget. Our projections are based on:
1) a conservative crude oil benchmark of US64.85 dollars per barrel;
2) crude oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day; and
3) an average exchange rate of 1,400 naira to the US Dollar for the 2026 fiscal year.

21. We will continue to reduce waste, strengthen controls, and ensure that every naira borrowed or spent delivers measurable public value.

22. Our allocations reflect the Renewed Hope Agenda and the practical needs of Nigerians. Key sectoral provisions include:
1) Defence and security: 5.41 trillion naira
2) Infrastructure: 3.56 trillion naira
3) Education: 3.52 trillion naira
4) Health: 2.48 trillion naira

23. These priorities are interlinked. Without security, investment will not thrive. Without educated and healthy citizens, productivity will not rise. Without infrastructure, jobs and enterprises will not scale. This Budget is, therefore, designed to provide a single, coherent programme of national renewal.

A. National Security and Peacebuilding
24. National Security remains the foundation of development. The 2026 Budget strengthens support for:
• modernisation of the Armed Forces;
• intelligence‑driven policing and joint operations;
• border security and technology‑enabled surveillance; and
• community‑based peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

25. We will invest in security with clear accountability for outcomes — because security spending must deliver results. To secure our country, our priority will remain on increasing the fighting capability of our armed forces and other security agencies and boosting the effectiveness of our fighting forces with cutting-edge equipment and other hardware.

26. We will usher in a new era of criminal justice. We will show no mercy to those who commit or support acts of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping for ransom and other violent crimes.

27. Our administration is resetting the national security architecture and establishing a new national counterterrorism doctrine — a holistic redesign anchored on unified command, intelligence gathering, community stability, and counter – insurgency. This new doctrine will fundamentally change how we confront terrorism and other violent crimes.

28. Under this new architecture, any armed group or gun-wielding non-state actors operating outside state authority will be regarded as terrorists.

29. Bandits, militias, armed gangs, armed robbers, violent cults, forest-based armed groups and foreign-linked mercenaries will all be targeted. We will go after all those who perpetrate violence for political or sectarian ends, along with those who finance and facilitate their evil schemes.

B. Human Capital Development: Education and Health
30. No nation can grow beyond the quality of its people. The 2026 Budget strengthens investments in education, skills, healthcare, and social protection.

31. In education, we are expanding access to higher education through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund. Over seven hundred and eighty eight thousand students have been supported, in partnership with two hundred and twenty nine tertiary institutions nationwide.

32. In healthcare, I am pleased to highlight that investment in healthcare is 6 per cent of the total budget size, net of liabilities.

33. We also appreciate the support of international partners. Recent high‑level engagements with the Government of the United States have opened the door to over 500 million United States dollars for health interventions across Nigeria. We welcome this partnership and assure Nigerians that these resources will be deployed transparently and effectively.

C. Infrastructure and Economic Productivity
34. Across the nation, projects of all shapes and sizes are moving from vision to reality. These include transport and energy infrastructure, port modernisation, agricultural reforms, and strategic investments to unlock private capital.

35. We will take decisive steps to strengthen agricultural markets. Food security shall remain a national priority. The 2026 Budget focuses on input financing and mechanisation; irrigation and climate‑resilient agriculture; storage and processing; and agro‑value chains.

36. These measures will reduce post‑harvest losses, improve incomes for small holders, deepen agro‑industrialisation, and build a more resilient, diversified economy.
37. In 2026, the Bank of Agriculture plans to plant confidence back into our soil; mechanising through seven regional hubs, protecting harvests with fair prices and substantial reserves, providing affordable finance to millions of small holders and growing export value. Under the plan, Nigerian farmers will cultivate one million hectares, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and prove that prosperity can rise through better use of our God given land.

D. Procurement
38. Starting in November last year, the government has embarked upon a comprehensive framework of procurement reforms. These reforms have enhanced efficiency and generated significant cost savings for the government, resulting in resulting in reduced processing times for Government contracts and better enforcement procedures directed against erring contractors and government officials.

39. Our Nigeria First Policy has been established to encourage self-sufficiency and sustainable growth within Nigeria by promoting domestic products and businesses. By mandating that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) consider Nigerian-made goods and local companies as their primary option, the policy aims to support local industries, create job opportunities, and reduce dependency on imported items. This bold new approach is expected to enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian enterprises, foster innovation, and ultimately contribute to the country’s overall economic development.

40. Distinguished Members and fellow Nigerians, the most significant budget is not the one we announce. It is the one we deliver.

41. Therefore, 2026 will be guided by three practical commitments:
1) Better revenue mobilisation through efficiency, transparency, and compliance.
2) Better spending by prioritising projects that can be completed, measured, and felt by citizens.
3) Better accountability through strengthening of procurement discipline, monitoring, and reporting.

42. We will build trust by matching our words with results, and our allocations with outcomes.

43. Distinguished Members of the National Assembly, fellow Nigerians, the 2026 Budget is not a budget of promises; it is a Budget of consolidation, renewed resilience and shared prosperity. It builds on the reforms of the past two and a half years, addresses emerging challenges, and sets a clear path towards a more secure, more competitive, more equitable, and more hopeful Nigeria.

44. I commend the people of this country for their understanding and resilience. My administration remains committed to easing the burdens of the transition to a more stable and prosperous nation. We promise to make sure that the benefits of reform reach households and communities across the Federation.

45. In united purpose between the Executive and the Legislature; and with the resilience of the Nigerian people, we will deliver the full promise of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

46. It is, therefore, with great pleasure that I lay before this distinguished Joint Session of the National Assembly; the 2026 Appropriation Bill of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, titled: “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity”. I seek your partnership in charting the nation’s fiscal course for the coming year.

47. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

48. Thank you.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
President, Commander-in-Chief of The Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Headline

Insecurity: Akpabio Begs Tinubu to Reinstate Police Orderlies for NASS Members

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2025

Eric

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the directive withdrawing police orderlies from members of the National Assembly, citing safety concerns.

Akpabio made the appeal during the presentation of the 2026 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly, by President Tinubu, warning that some lawmakers fear they might be unable to return home safely following the withdrawal.

His said: “As we direct the security agencies to withdraw policemen from critical areas, some of the National Assembly said I should let you know they may not be able to go home today.

“On that note, we plead with Mr. President for a review of the decision.”

President Tinubu, on November 23, ordered the withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs), directing that they be redeployed to core policing duties across the country.

According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu issued the directive after a security meeting with Service Chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) following heightened security issues in the country.

Under the order, VIPs requiring security are to seek protection from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as the Federal government seeks to boost police presence in communities, particularly in remote areas grappling with insecurity.

Tinubu later reaffirmed the directive on December 10, moments before presiding over the Federal Executive Council, expressing frustration over delays in implementation.

He instructed the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to work with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Civil Defence Corps to immediately replace withdrawn escorts to avoid exposing individuals to danger.

“I honestly believe in what I said…It should be effected. If you have any problem because of the nature of your assignment, contact the IGP and get my clearance,” Tinubu said.

“The minister of interior should liaise IG and the Civil Defence structure to replace those police officers who are on special security duties.

“So that you don’t leave people exposed,” he said.

Headline

Defence Gulps Lion Share As Tinubu Presents N58.47trn 2026 Budget to NASS

Published

2 days ago

December 19, 2025

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has presented a budget of N58.47 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year to a joint session of the National Assembly, with capital recurrent (non‑debt) expenditure standing at N15.25 trillion.

Tinubu presented the budget on Friday, pegging the capital expenditure at N26.08 trillion and putting the crude oil benchmark at US$64.85 per barrel.

He said the expected total revenue is N34.33 trillion, projected total expenditure: N58.18 trillion, including N15.52 trillion for debt servicing. The budget is N23.85 trillion, representing 4.28% of GDP.

The budget was anchored on a crude oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day, and an exchange rate of N1,400 to the US Dollar for the 2026 fiscal year.

In terms of sectoral allocation, defence and security took the lion’s share with N 5.41 trillion, followed by infrastructure at N3.56 trillion.