The passage of a N58.4 trillion budget through second reading without debate is troubling for a democracy that claims to value checks and balances.
Development Diaries reports that the House of Representatives recently passed President Bola Tinubu’s N58.4 trillion 2026 appropriation bill through second reading without debate.
This has raised concerns that the legislature may be losing its independence, with too much power shifting to the executive as the 2027 elections approach.
The bill, which was named the ‘Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity’ and presented by President Tinubu to a joint session of the National Assembly in December, seeks authorisation to withdraw N58.4 trillion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation for the 2026 fiscal year.
A budget of this size shapes taxes, spending priorities, debt, and the daily lives of millions of Nigerians, so it is worrisome that lawmakers skipped an open debate. This weakens transparency and creates the impression that the legislature is merely endorsing executive decisions rather than interrogating them.
Closed-door meetings may be normal, but silence on the floor sends the wrong signal to citizens.
The fact that only the House Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere spoke, praising government achievements, further deepens concerns because parliament is not meant to be a praise chamber.
Debate allows lawmakers to test claims about growth, inflation, reserves, and debt against lived realities. It also gives opposition voices and even ruling party backbenchers the space to ask hard questions. Without this, Nigerians are left with headlines, not explanations.
This development becomes more worrying when viewed alongside ongoing Electoral Act reforms. While the Senate says it wants to take its time on electoral changes, the House moved with unusual speed on the budget.
This contrast feeds public suspicion that issues affecting political power are treated with caution, while issues affecting public spending are rushed through.
Again, this kind of imbalance undermines trust in institutions and fuels the belief that executive dominance is growing ahead of 2027.
With that being said, committee stage scrutiny is therefore no longer optional at this point but should be carried out as a democratic duty.
This is where lawmakers must prove that the absence of debate was not an abdication of responsibility. Committees should question revenue assumptions, debt plans, and spending priorities.
Nigerians should not stay silent. Citizens must clearly demand that the committee stage of the budget process is opened up to real public scrutiny.
Nigerians should insist on public hearings that are truly public, not symbolic, where experts, civil society groups, and ordinary citizens can question spending priorities.
They should also demand the full publication of the budget in plain language, with every line item explained, so people can see exactly where N58.4 trillion is going.
Lawmakers must be pressured to explain how this money will improve jobs, healthcare, education, security, and the cost of living, not just repeat slogans about ‘shared prosperity’.
Above all, Nigerians should demand accountability. As constituents, you must ask your representatives what changes they are pushing in committee, how they are defending public interest, and how they will track implementation.
If lawmakers skipped debate, citizens must make it clear that silence in parliament does not mean consent outside it.
