A new report by Tracka, the service delivery arm of BudgIT, has revealed that 17 contractors were paid a total of N2.4 billion for 15 projects across nine states, yet none of the projects have been initiated.

Tracka, which monitors public projects and enables citizen feedback, detailed instances of unexecuted projects despite full or partial payments.

Among them, Mainstream Contractors received N401 million in December 2023 from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for road rehabilitation in Nasarawa State, but no work has been done.

Similarly, Icent Light Ltd was paid N153 million for fencing and landscaping projects in Delta State under the National Institute for Construction Technology, yet there is no evidence of execution.

Additionally, A3 Interbiz Link Service Limited received N88 million from the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria for constructing and equipping a primary healthcare center in Osun State, but the site remains untouched.

These cases are part of a broader issue uncovered in the Tracka 2023/2024 Report, Achieving National Development through Efficient Service Delivery, launched on January 30, 2025.

The report tracked 1,404 projects worth N282.5 billion across 25 states, revealing that while 51% of projects were completed and 24% were ongoing, 16% were not executed at all, and 9% were either abandoned or poorly implemented.

The report also assessed the performance of key government agencies. The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) led with a 78% project completion rate, followed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (68%) and the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (65%).

However, poor-performing agencies included the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (20%) and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (16%), reflecting inefficiencies in project execution.

Expressing deep concern over the non-execution of critical public projects, Gabriel Okeowo, BudgIT’s Country Director, criticized the continued embezzlement and mismanagement of capital expenditure funds.

He attributed the problem to poor oversight and collusion between government agencies and contractors, which results in project abandonment and financial wastage.

“Nigeria faces significant infrastructure challenges, and yet, capital projects have become the biggest avenue for corruption,” Okeowo stated.

He called on the Federal Government, anti-corruption agencies, and lawmakers to take urgent action to address these issues, urging the ICPC and EFCC to investigate and prosecute contractors who fail to execute awarded projects.

“If these financial leakages are not addressed, Nigeria’s scarce resources will continue to be diverted away from real development needs,” he warned.

BudgIT also urged elected representatives to prioritize the completion of abandoned projects and ensure public funds are effectively utilized to benefit citizens.

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has admitted Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as evidence in the legal dispute over the September 21, 2024, governorship election.

The move follows a subpoena obtained by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after INEC initially declined to release the devices voluntarily.

The BVAS data is expected to play a crucial role in the tribunal’s review, particularly in verifying allegations of over-voting raised by the PDP.

According to preliminary assessments, inconsistencies have emerged between the number of accredited voters recorded by BVAS and the final election results announced by INEC in certain polling units.

The PDP argues that in several locations, the figures declared by the electoral commission exceeded the actual number of accredited voters, a discrepancy that could significantly impact the outcome of the petition.

During the tribunal proceedings, a PDP collation agent from Akoko Edo Ward 9 testified under oath, stating that while voting was conducted properly in the 13 polling units of the ward, the results presented at the ward collation center did not match the records uploaded on INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

He claimed that an alternative set of results was introduced at the collation center, prompting him to refuse to sign the result sheet.

A similar testimony was given by a PDP agent from Oredo Local Government, who alleged that the final results declared by INEC in Ward 1 did not align with the data from polling units or IREV uploads.

The tribunal accepted certified true copies (CTCs) of exhibits submitted by the PDP, which reportedly highlight discrepancies between official results and BVAS records.

Legal experts believe the tribunal’s acceptance of BVAS data as evidence marks a significant step in the case.

The Supreme Court had ruled that BVAS serves as the primary source of accreditation data, making it a critical reference for assessing election validity.

If substantial discrepancies are confirmed, it could bolster the PDP’s claims of electoral malpractice.

Meanwhile, Governor Monday Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) legal team are expected to challenge the PDP’s claims as they prepare their defence.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Professor Usman Yusuf, a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), following a raid on his residence.

Sources confirmed that a large contingent of EFCC officials stormed Yusuf’s home on Wednesday, leading to his arrest.

Yusuf, a former member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), had previously faced scrutiny during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration after a petition accused him of multiple misconducts.

The petition, submitted to the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Health, alleged misappropriation of Funds, procurement Violations, nepotism, financial Irregularities, favoritism, unauthorized Expenditures as well as inflated Contracts & Fraudulent Deals. 

In May 2024, Yusuf made headlines for his sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda had resulted in widespread despair.

During an interview with Channels Television, he lamented the economic hardships under Tinubu’s leadership, arguing that millions of Nigerians had fallen into poverty.

He described the President’s economic team as “tax collectors rather than economists,” criticizing their policies for failing to drive production.

Efforts to reach EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale for comments have been unsuccessful, as his mobile line remains switched off.

Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate and activist, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to the 17-count cybercrime charges leveled against him by the Nigerian Police Force.

Sowore, who was arrested by the police on Monday, had been detained at the Intelligence Response Team facility in Abuja after he declined the administrative bail conditions offered by the authorities.

He was summoned to the Force Intelligence Headquarters over accusations of obstructing public officers, cyberstalking, disobedience to lawful orders, and preventing arrests.

During his arraignment before Justice Musa Liman, Sowore denied all the charges, which stemmed from his social media activity.

The charges were filed by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, following Sowore’s posts on his verified X account, where he allegedly referred to Egbetokun as an “illegal IGP.”

The first charge stated, “On December 13, 2024, you, Omoyele Sowore, intentionally sent a message via your verified X account, causing a publication against IGP Kayode Egbetokun, calling him ‘illegal IGP.’ You knew the statement was false, and it was intended to incite disorder, violating Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime Act, 2015 (as amended 2024).”

The second charge claimed that Sowore used the same platform to send a message calling Egbetokun “illegal IGP” and tagging the official Nigeria Police Force X handle, @policeNG.

This publication allegedly contained threats aimed at inciting Nigerians and damaging the reputation of the police force and its leadership.

A third charge referred to Sowore’s post on December 20, 2024, where he accused Egbetokun of pushing Nigeria toward another #ENDSARS protest, a statement that was also said to be false and capable of causing public unrest.

After pleading not guilty to all counts, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, requested bail for his client.

Justice Liman adjourned the case until 3:00 p.m. for a ruling on the bail application.