‘Caretakers of waste’ – Atiku demands probe of Tinubu’s 2026 budget

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential in the 2027 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has demanded for a thorough investigation of the 2026 Appropriation Act under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku’s call came after reports of more than N210 billion in alleged duplicated and overlapping budget allocations.

The former Vice President made the call in a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

He described the alleged duplication as further evidence of what he termed poor fiscal management by the Federal Government.

The presidential candidate stated that the controversy comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with rising inflation, high unemployment and worsening economic conditions despite the administration’s economic reforms.

According to him, latest revelations did not emerge in isolation but formed part of what he described as a growing pattern of questionable budget practices that have repeatedly raised concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s public finance system.

“In recent months, Nigerians have witnessed budgetary allocations for projects outside the statutory mandates of agencies, controversial insertions running into billions of naira, and expenditures that bear little relationship to the pressing needs of ordinary citizens. Rather than responding with transparency, the government has too often resorted to denial before reluctantly acknowledging problems when confronted with overwhelming evidence.

“Nothing illustrates the bankruptcy of this administration’s so-called reforms more than the fuel subsidy deception. Nigerians were told in 2023 that the subsidy was gone and were compelled to endure unprecedented hardship, skyrocketing fuel prices, crushing transportation costs, runaway inflation and a collapsing standard of living in the name of economic reform.

“Yet NNPC Limited’s own audited 2024 financial statements now reveal that a staggering N7.13 trillion was still expended on what it calls ‘Energy Security Expenses,’ a category the company itself identifies as petrol subsidy, otherwise known as under-recovery. This means Nigerians were never told the whole truth,” the statement read in part.

Atiku further stressed that Nigeria’s worsening economic realities contradict official claims of economic progress, noting that many Nigerians continue to struggle with the rising cost of living.

The former Vice President lamented that families were finding it increasingly difficult to feed themselves, businesses were shutting down under mounting economic pressure, and thousands of graduates remained unemployed despite government assurances that the reforms were yielding positive results.

‘Caretakers of waste’ – Atiku demands probe of Tinubu’s 2026 budget