Onyeche Wofurum Igwe
Jake Epelle, the Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s presentation of the 2025 Rivers State budget to the National Assembly.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, which was monitored by TNN, Epelle expressed concerns that Tinubu’s action had positioned him on the wrong side of history.
He said it was worrisome that the president would take on a role typically reserved for state governors or their representatives, raising questions about the implications for Nigeria’s federal system and democratic governance.
He said, “The President has made history, but this time on the wrong side of history. This unprecedented move is very worrisome because this is the first time a sitting President is presenting the budget of a state because of the void in the democratic structure of that state created by this emergency rule.”
He described Tinubu’s action as “executive overreach,” arguing that there was no legal or democratic basis for a sitting President to present a state budget.
According to Epelle, this move lacked justification and set a troubling precedent. He revealed that initially, there was an attempt to have the sole administrator present the budget, but public scrutiny over its legality led to a change of strategy.
Epelle added that the decision to have the President present the budget instead has raised concerns about the limits of executive power and the potential implications for Nigeria’s democratic governance.
“Initially, they were going to push the so-called sole administrator to do this, and I think they realised when we called on them to examine the legality of a non-elected individual overseeing an elected office which is the institution of the state,” he explained.
Epelle questioned the integrity of any process that allows an unelected figure to administer a state’s resources.
“Anybody who wants to believe that it’s justified has a lot to tell us about the principles of democracy and making sure an elected individual would administer a state that elected him,” he said.
He also said that Tinubu’s action, though historic, undermined democratic principles. Like I said, the president has made history, but I think he is on the wrong side of history by presenting this budget.
“Who is going to administer this? An individual not elected by the people is going to spend the people’s taxpayers’ money. This is where we are, and it’s a pity the good people of Rivers State are bearing it,” he lamented.
