The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has expressed grave concern over what it described as worsening fiscal recklessness, constitutional violations, institutional decay, and growing attacks on democratic freedoms in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, warning that the country’s democratic future is under serious threat if urgent corrective measures are not taken.
Addressing journalists at a State of the Nation press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, CHRICED’s Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, said recent developments in governance have exposed a disturbing pattern of mismanagement of public resources, weak accountability, and shrinking democratic space.
According to him, Nigerians continue to endure economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, and poor public services while public official channel scarce resources into questionable projects.
“Nigeria’s governance trajectory is becoming increasingly worrisome. Our democracy is being severely tested—not by foreign adversaries, but by internal failures of accountability, fiscal discipline, and respect for constitutional norms,” Zikirullahi stated.
The CHRICED Executive Director criticised the 2026 Appropriation Act, describing it as another example of the erosion of credibility in Nigeria’s budget process. He cited a Tracka (BudgIT) analysis showing that N8.05 billion was allocated for the construction and furnishing of churches and mosques through ministries and agencies whose statutory mandates have no connection with religious infrastructure.
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Zikirullahi noted that N6.14 billion was earmarked for 52 mosque-related projects while N1.91 billion was allocated for seven church projects. He also questioned the N780 million budgeted by the Office of the Deputy Speaker for church musical instruments.
“Why should scarce public funds be used to buy musical instruments when millions of Nigerians cannot afford food, have no jobs, and lack access to healthcare and education?” he asked, arguing that such expenditures contradict the spirit of Section 10 of the Constitution, which prohibits the adoption of a state religion.
He further condemned what he described as a pattern of fiscal waste, pointing to N500 million reportedly spent on an international communications campaign to counter allegations of religious persecution, a US$9 million contract awarded to a United States lobbying firm to improve Nigeria’s image, and N6.44 billion allocated for FIFA World Cup qualifying activities despite Nigeria’s failure to qualify. “Nigerians deserve answers, not excuses,” Zikirullahi declared.
On education, the CHRICED Executive Director described the management of funds allocated to the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education as “a betrayal of vulnerable children.” He alleged that billions of naira from the commission’s N22.8 billion allocation were diverted to road construction and unrelated projects in Ogun, Katsina, and Ekiti states.
According to him, allocations included N1.4 billion for roads in Abeokuta, N1.05 billion for roads in Ipokia Ward 2, N1.4 billion for roads in Imeko and Idogo, N1.05 billion for internal roads in Katsina, N700 million for solar streetlights, and another N700 million for women and youth empowerment tools. “These are not education projects. They are diversions,” Zikirullahi said, adding that allowing millions of vulnerable children to remain out of school amounted to “wickedness and inhumanity.”
The rights advocate also expressed concern over Nigeria’s rising debt profile, noting that public debt has climbed to N159.28 trillion despite the removal of fuel subsidy, new tax measures, and government claims of increased revenue generation.
He questioned why ministries and agencies continue to complain about poor budget releases and why annual budgets are repeatedly extended into subsequent years. According to him, extending the implementation of the 2024 and 2025 budgets into 2026 has undermined the sanctity of annual appropriations and weakened legislative oversight and accountability.
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On constitutional reform, Zikirullahi said CHRICED supports genuine reforms but criticised the National Assembly for prioritising the executive-backed State Police Bill while sidelining other constitutional proposals.
He argued that constitutional amendment has become “a multi-billion-naira enterprise benefiting a select few” and warned that state police cannot succeed without addressing fundamental issues such as poor police welfare, overdependence of states on federal allocations, widespread proliferation of arms, and politically sponsored militias. He insisted that constitutional amendments should involve broad public consultations and, where necessary, a national referendum.
The Executive Director also raised concerns over the ₦1.3 billion Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council scandal, describing it as evidence of institutional failure and poor oversight. He maintained that conflicting testimonies from government agencies have exposed serious weaknesses in accountability mechanisms.
Zikirullahi called for the suspension of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, arguing that “without his suspension, no agency—ICPC, EFCC, or otherwise—can conduct an independent, transparent, and fair investigation.”
CHRICED further called for greater transparency over the Oriire School abduction, noting that while the conviction of those responsible was commendable, testimony from one of the victims suggesting that the children were released rather than rescued contradicts the official narrative.
Zikirullahi also urged authorities to investigate allegations that N5 billion was released for negotiations with insurgents over the children’s freedom. He equally demanded an independent investigation into the death of 26-year-old nurse Mary Habila at the country home of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, insisting that Umahi should step aside to ensure a credible probe.
He also warned against what it described as escalating attacks on opposition political parties across the country, alleging that opposition parties have faced intimidation, disruption of meetings, arbitrary arrests, denial of access to public facilities, abuse of security agencies, and targeted violence.
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“A democracy without a vibrant opposition is not a democracy, it is an authoritarian project wearing democratic clothing,” he said, urging security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain impartial and uphold the rule of law.
The Executive Director called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate greater fiscal discipline and address concerns over rising debt and questionable budget allocations. He also urged the National Assembly to restore integrity to the budget process, while calling on the Budget Office, the Office of the Auditor-General, the ICPC, and the EFCC to investigate allegations of budget irregularities.
Zikirullahi tasked the National Sports Commission to account for the N6.44 billion FIFA allocation, security agencies to clarify the circumstances surrounding the Oriire school abduction, and political actors to end attacks on opposition parties.
He warned that Nigeria is at a defining moment in its democratic journey. “Our democracy cannot survive on secrecy, impunity, and disregard for constitutional norms. It can only thrive when transparency replaces opacity, accountability replaces impunity, public resources serve the people rather than private interests, and political competition is protected rather than persecuted,” he said.
