The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized the ‘Budget of Renewed Hope’ presented by President Bola Tinubu before a joint session of the National Assembly, saying the budget estimates was “designed to strangulate poor Nigerians”.

The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, alleged that the proposed budget by the All Progressives Congress-led administration was padded figures and duplicated items, urging the National Assembly to scrutinize the proposed budget.

The PDP further described the budget estimates as a “huge disservice which, if allowed to pass, will further asphyxiate Nigerians and plunge our nation into more economic depression and hopelessness”.

“The PDP also describes the claim by President Tinubu that the budget is a Budget of Renewed Hope as conjured, unfounded and deceptive as the budget is completely devoid of concrete mechanisms to revive the economy, create jobs, address the comatose manufacturing and productive sectors, human capital development deficiencies and depleting life expectancy of Nigeria citizens”.