During the 2025 budget defence session in the Senate, Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, found himself under intense scrutiny over the implementation of the 2024 budget, particularly regarding capital expenditure and the proceeds from fuel subsidy removal.
The drama unfolded when Senator Abdul Ningi, former Deputy Senate Leader representing Bauchi Central, raised pointed questions about how the government had spent the savings from the fuel subsidy removal in the 2024 fiscal year.
Ningi questioned the finance minister on the specifics of the expenditure, as well as debt servicing details, saying, “We haven’t heard from the Minister how much has been saved from the removal of fuel subsidy and how much has been expended.”
He further pressed Edun on the capital expenditure performance for the 2024 fiscal year and whether the extension of the capital budget to June 30, 2025, would lead to the desired results.
In response to the barrage of questions, Edun, visibly unsettled, requested a closed-door session for a more detailed explanation of the fuel subsidy spending and other fiscal matters.
“Are we in a closed-door session? If we are not, I will humbly seek that for detailed explanations on the questions asked,” Edun said.
Senator Olamilekan Adeola, Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, granted Edun’s request and instructed journalists to leave the room to facilitate the closed-door session.
