The Democratic and Leadership Alliance DLA has criticised the Federal Government over the National Assembly’s decision to extend the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 budget to December 31, 2026.

The Senate and House of Representatives approved the extension on Tuesday, moving the deadline from September 30 to December 31 to allow Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs to complete capital projects captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act. It is the fourth extension granted for the implementation of the capital budget.

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the DLA National Campaign Council, Dr Tosin Odeyemi, said the repeated extensions reflected concerns over the country’s fiscal and economic management.

Odeyemi said the party was particularly concerned that the 2024 budget had not been fully funded while the implementation of the 2026 budget was also facing challenges.

He said the latest extension could further complicate budget implementation and result in outstanding capital expenditure being rolled into subsequent budget cycles.

According to him, more than N35 trillion allocated for capital expenditure in the 2026 budget could eventually be moved into the 2027 fiscal cycle if implementation challenges persisted.

The DLA spokesman also called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from the Federal Government over its management of public funds.

He questioned how the government could justify repeated extensions despite receiving significant revenues and taking on additional loans.

The National Assembly initially extended the 2025 capital budget beyond its original December 31, 2025 deadline to March 31, 2026. Further extensions subsequently moved the deadline to June 30 and then September 30 before the latest extension to December 31.

The DLA also criticised President Bola Tinubu over his calls for Nigerians to hold state governors accountable for increased allocations following the removal of fuel subsidy.

Odeyemi argued that the Federal Government should similarly explain how it was managing its own share of national resources and borrowed funds.

He alleged that the administration’s fiscal management had contributed to difficulties in implementing successive budgets and urged Nigerians to demand greater transparency.

The National Assembly has previously said the extensions were intended to enable MDAs to complete ongoing capital projects and utilise funds already appropriated and released for them.