Local Contractors Accuse FG of Using Their Money to Fund Tinubu’s Re-Election
Indigenous contractors under the umbrella of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) have accused the Federal Government of diverting funds meant for project payments to finance President Bola Tinubu’s re-election plans.
The contractors alleged that over ₦4 trillion owed to them by the Federal Government is being withheld and allegedly channelled into political activities ahead of future elections.
POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported on Monday that members of the association took to the streets again. They blocked the main entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja. The protest disrupted activities at the ministry for hours.
The contractors said they were forced to resume protests after several failed engagements with government officials. They accused the administration of betraying earlier promises made to them through the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.
They also said the Ministry of Finance had consistently failed to honour payment obligations for projects already executed by indigenous contractors across the country.
Speaking during the protest, AICAN National President, Jackson Ifeanyi Nwosu, expressed frustration over what he described as deliberate delay tactics by the government.
He recalled assurances given by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, who, according to him, asked the contractors to submit required documentation for payment processing.
He said, “To date, we’ve not seen any warrants approved. So that’s why we are back to the trenches. Mr. Wale Edun told the Senate committee that the money that the Federal Government is owing indigenous contractors, over 80% of the money has been paid.”
Nwosu disputed that claim. He insisted that most contractors were yet to receive payment for jobs completed months ago.
“I think, as we speak, there are 204 capital projects. Only about 30- 40% was paid. The warrants that they released only ended in May,” he said.
He added that many contractors who worked between January and May were still unpaid, while no payment approvals were issued from June to December.
“Most people from January to May have not received payment. So between June and December, no warrants. So, which payment did they make? No alerts. No single alert. The only ones we received was about N230 billion they released. And that only ended in February,” he stated.
According to him, the unpaid liabilities go far beyond what the government has acknowledged.
“We’re talking about over N4 trillion. There are so many other projects that have been completed that have not been paid,” he said.
Nwosu warned that the continued refusal to pay contractors could have severe consequences for the economy. He said many contractors took bank loans to execute government projects and are now facing asset seizures.
“The next line of action is that if they don’t kill us, the economy of this country will die,” he said.
He added that several contractors had lost their properties to banks, while others had reportedly died due to stress and financial pressure.
“We are ready for the worst. We are not leaving the streets. We are ready for the worst. And we will continue to be law-abiding,” he added.
The AICAN president further claimed that President Tinubu was fully aware of the situation and the protests.
“The president is aware of all that is happening. He’s getting news, even from DSS. He’s getting reports every day. He knows what he’s doing with the funds,” he said.
He then made the strongest allegation of the protest, accusing the government of using contractors’ money for political purposes.
“The president knows what is happening. They have all the funds. They are all invested in re-election. They are using contractors’ funds to fund their election. That is what it is.”
The contractors vowed to sustain their protest until concrete steps are taken to clear the outstanding debts.
However, it could be recalled that indigenous contractors had previously staged similar protests over unpaid project funds, warning that continued neglect of local contractors could cripple infrastructure delivery and worsen unemployment across the country.
