NDC Critiques Tinubu's N10.79tn Loan Request for 2026 Budget

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's request for an external loan of approximately N10.79 trillion to finance part of the 2026 budget deficit. In a statement released on Thursday, Dr Chiogo Constance Ikokwu, spokesperson for the NDC National Presidential Campaign Council, described the loan request as part of a "one-week, new loan" borrowing spree.

Ikokwu urged Nigerians to participate in the upcoming elections and demand accountability and fiscal responsibility from their leaders. She emphasized the importance of the 2027 election, highlighting the growing debt burden and financial obligations being passed to future generations.

Ikokwu called for support for the NDC's presidential candidate and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in the January 16, 2027 election. She accused Tinubu of seeking fresh loans without proper scrutiny from the National Assembly, which she claimed had become a rubber-stamp legislature.

Ikokwu encouraged citizens to use their votes to change the country's political direction and avoid a debt trap.