Jake Epelle, CEO of TAF Africa, strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s presentation of Rivers State’s 2025 budget to the National Assembly, stating that the President has placed himself “on the wrong side of history.”
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Epelle emphasized that Tinubu’s action was unprecedented in Nigeria’s democratic history, marking the first time a sitting President has presented a state budget—a move he described as deeply concerning.
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.”
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Epelle condemned the action as “executive overreach,” asserting that it lacked any legal or democratic justification.
He disclosed that the initial plan was for a “sole administrator” to present the budget, but public scrutiny regarding the legality of an unelected individual overseeing an elected office compelled a change in strategy.
“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 challenged the integrity of any process that permits an unelected individual to manage 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,” Epelle said.
“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.
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