Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of either being unaware of alleged budget violations within his administration or being complicit in them.
Atiku, through a statement released on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, alleged that the government’s response to claims involving the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, had increased public concerns rather than addressed them.
He claimed that details from the 2026 Appropriation Act indicated possible manipulation of the budget through the allocation of projects to government agencies that do not have the legal responsibility to execute such tasks.
According to Atiku, the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, an agency created to tackle Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis, was assigned billions of naira for road construction projects outside its mandate.
He cited several road projects listed in the budget, including rehabilitation and construction works across parts of Ogun State, with allocations running into billions of naira.
The former vice president questioned why an agency responsible for improving access to education would be handling road projects, arguing that such allocations were a misuse of resources at a time when millions of Nigerian children remain out of school and educational facilities face serious challenges.
Atiku alleged that the pattern suggested an attempt to hide questionable projects within agencies that receive less public attention, making it easier for funds to be mismanaged.
He also connected the allegations to previous claims involving constituency projects during Gbajabiamila’s tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives, insisting that the latest controversy reflected a wider pattern of budget padding and questionable insertions.
The ADC presidential candidate further revisited allegations made by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi concerning the PFIPC, including claims that billions of naira were demanded in relation to the appointment of its Director-General.
Atiku questioned why Adeyemi had not been prosecuted if government officials considered him fraudulent, and also demanded explanations over reports that the organisation was still operating from the Federal Secretariat.
He argued that the situation raised deeper concerns than the case involving former pension reform chairman Abdulrasheed Maina, where authorities moved quickly with investigations and legal action.
According to Atiku, President Tinubu cannot distance himself from the controversy because the budget carries his approval and the affected agencies operate under his administration.
He stated that if public funds were being allocated through agencies without the authority to execute such projects, it meant either the President approved the process or failed to monitor activities under his leadership.
Atiku also challenged the National Assembly to explain how the disputed allocations passed through legislative review, stressing that lawmakers have a responsibility to protect public resources.
He called for an independent and transparent investigation into the alleged budget irregularities and the PFIPC controversy, saying Nigerians deserve clear answers from the government.