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After protests: FG releases N152bn payout to local contractors
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Finally, the Federal Government said it has disbursed ₦152 billion to contractors of verified contracts.
The payment, the Federal Government, said followed established verification procedures designed to safeguard public funds and maintain accountability in government spending.
In a statement on Thursday, the Federal Ministry of Finance said the payment process is guided by existing laws and regulations to ensure transparency and protect taxpayers’ money.
“The process of payment for contracts goes through various verification processes in line with extant laws and regulations, to protect taxpayers’ money and ensure accountability and transparency,” the ministry said.
While acknowledging the financial pressure delays have placed on contractors, the ministry appealed for continued engagement as a pathway to resolving outstanding issues.
“We also plead for continuous dialogue and engagement for effective resolution of all conflicts,” the statement added.
The ministry assured contractors of its willingness to maintain open communication, urging them to respect the procedures and staff involved in handling payment requests.
“We assure all contractors of our continuous support and openness to constructive dialogue and urge all contractors to respect the process and the personnel of the Federal Ministry of Finance, who have had to endure different levels of intimidation and harassment,” it said.
It further stated that all outstanding payment requests would continue to be processed in line with due process and handled “in a timely and consistent manner.”
As part of broader efforts to address the contractors plight and restore confidence among local firms, the Federal Government has proposed setting aside ₦1.8 trillion in the 2026 budget to clear outstanding payments for capital projects executed under the 2024 fiscal year.
Of this amount, ₦100 billion has been allocated specifically for indigenous contractors, many of whom have raised concerns over prolonged delays and worsening financial conditions.
The proposed budgetary provision follows recent protests by members of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), who returned to the streets to draw attention to mounting debts and liquidity challenges within the sector.AICAN President, Mr Jackson Nwosu, said the protests were driven by what he described as growing desperation among contractors facing loan defaults and the risk of losing personal assets after borrowing to carry out government projects.
“The government has failed to honour the agreement to pay contractors whose project details had been submitted and verified. Payments finalised before the closure of the payment portal at the end of December never reflected in our accounts,” he said.
The Accord Party has defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polling unit of former Osun Deputy Governor and ex-APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in the ongoing Osun State governorship election.
According to results uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Accord secured 131 votes at Polling Unit 003, Ife Ward 1 (Moore), St. Gabriel Primary School, in Ife East Local Government Area.
The APC polled 85 votes to finish second, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded 10 votes. Other political parties obtained marginal votes at the polling unit.
The result adds to a series of early victories recorded by the Accord Party as INEC continues the uploading and collation of results across the state.
Earlier, Accord also won at the polling unit of former Osun Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result sheet uploaded on the IReV portal showed Accord polling 125 votes, ahead of the APC, which recorded 85 votes. The ADC secured five votes.
Meanwhile, INEC has continued to upload results from polling units across Osun State as the governorship election moves into the collation stage.
Voters across the state’s 30 local government areas cast their ballots on Saturday to elect a governor for the next four years.
The major contenders in the election include the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam.
The Accord Party has won the governorship election at the polling unit of former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
According to the result sheet uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) IReV portal, Accord polled 125 votes to emerge victorious at the polling unit.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 85 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured five votes.
The African Action Congress (AAC) scored two votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) each recorded one vote.
Other parties, including the AA, ADP, APGA, APM, APP, BP, NNPP and PRP, recorded no votes.
The result sheet showed that 228 voters were accredited, with 220 valid votes cast and eight rejected ballots.
The election was conducted at Court Hall I, Okuku, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result comes against the backdrop of Oyinlola’s reported endorsement of the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the election.
Oyinlola, who governed Osun State from 2003 to 2010, had publicly backed Oyebamiji despite the APC candidate running against incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The outcome at Oyinlola’s polling unit therefore puts the Accord Party ahead of the APC, with Adeleke’s party failing to secure the unit despite the incumbent governor’s participation in the election.
Voting was disrupted in Ejigbo, Osun State, after violence broke out at a polling unit during the ongoing Osun State Governorship election.
It was gathered that voters, residents and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fled the polling unit as tension escalated around the area.
According to Channels TV, people were seen running in different directions while motorcycles and vehicles moved through the area as residents attempted to escape the unfolding situation.
The immediate cause of the violence was not clear, as the chaos temporarily halted the ongoing electoral process.
The incident comes as voters come out in their numbers to partake in governorship election amid tight security.
Osun Election: Accord Defeats APC in Omisore’s Polling Unit
Osun election: Oyinlola Loses Polling Unit to Accord Party
Osun election: INEC officials take to their heels as violence erupts in Ejigbo
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