Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly condemned what he described as "a relentless scene of corruption" in Nigeria following BudgIT's revelation of an alleged N70 trillion fraud in the 2025 federal budget.

In a statement released by Ibrahim Umar, spokesperson for Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), the former Anambra State governor expressed deep concern over the findings, stating that Nigeria must "cease to function as a crime scene" to make meaningful progress.

"This entrenched corruption – persistent and deeply rooted – must be nipped in the bud if there is to be any meaningful turnaround," Obi declared. "How else can we explain the distressing revelations by BudgIT, which uncovered a staggering ₦7 trillion in questionable projects inserted into the 2025 national budget?"

Obi emphasized that the N7 trillion allegedly fraudulently inserted into the budget exceeds the combined allocations to critical ministries essential for national development, including Health (₦2.48 trillion), Education (₦3.52 trillion), Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (₦260 billion), and Agriculture and Food Security (₦636.08 billion).

"Combined, these four ministries were allocated ₦6.896 trillion—an already inflated amount—yet still less than the ₦7 trillion dubiously inserted into the budget," he noted.

The Labour Party leader further pointed out that the alleged fraudulent amount even surpasses the ₦6.1 trillion allocated to national security, despite Nigeria being "among the most terrorised nations in the world."

Obi linked this "brazen impunity" to Nigeria's inability to adequately invest in education despite having nearly 20 million out-of-school children, the crippling of primary healthcare resulting in alarming levels of malnourished children, and widespread hunger due to neglect in agricultural investment.

"These glaring acts of corruption reinforce my position: Nigeria has been reduced to a crime scene," Obi stated.

He called for unwavering resolve in confronting corruption, misappropriation, and fiscal recklessness, emphasizing that national resources must be transparently managed and strategically invested in key sectors to secure a better future for Nigerians.

"We must turn this nation around. A new Nigeria is POssible," Obi concluded.

BudgIT, a civic organization focused on government transparency, reportedly uncovered N6.93 trillion in questionable projects inserted into the 2025 budget by the National Assembly.