Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of concealing trillions of naira in the 2026 federal budget through the Service-Wide Vote, raising concerns over transparency and accountability in government spending. Atiku alleged that the dramatic increase in the discretionary budget provision requires urgent public explanation, warning that the figures have raised serious questions about fiscal management.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Service-Wide Vote rose sharply from ₦638 billion in the 2025 budget to ₦12.8 trillion in 2026, representing an increase of approximately 1,918 per cent. According to him, the allocation is linked to just 10 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which collectively account for 84 per cent of the entire 2026 federal budget. The former vice president described the increase as one of the most significant examples of what he termed fiscal opacity in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Atiku specifically questioned the allocation made to the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, where he said ₦2.19 trillion under the Service-Wide Vote was earmarked for personnel costs.
He contrasted the figure with the ₦54.8 billion reportedly allocated for salaries at the Federal Ministry of Finance, arguing that the disparity raises serious questions about the intended beneficiaries. He asked who the workers receiving the allocation are, where they are located, the offices they occupy and the agencies to which they belong, describing the figures as difficult to justify within normal budgetary planning.
According to Atiku, the amount set aside under the Service-Wide Vote exceeds the combined budgetary allocations for education, defence and agriculture.
He argued that unless the Federal Government provides a full breakdown of the expenditure, Nigerians may reasonably question the purpose of the funds and whether they could be used for political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections. The ADC presidential candidate also maintained that a government asking citizens to endure economic hardship should not shield large public expenditures behind broad budget headings without adequate disclosure.
Atiku called on the National Assembly to conduct a detailed, line-by-line investigation into the Service-Wide Vote, with particular attention to the ₦2.19 trillion personnel allocation. He urged lawmakers to compel full disclosure of the beneficiaries of the funds and the legal basis for the expenditure. According to him, greater transparency is necessary to strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s budgeting process and ensure accountability in the management of public finances.
