Atiku queries Tinubu over suspicious N12.8trn service-wide vote

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of using the 2026 federal budget to conceal trillions of naira in unaccountable spending. Abubakar specifically pointed to a dramatic increase in the Service-Wide Vote (SWV), a discretionary budget line, which he claims jumped from N638 billion in 2025 to N12.8 trillion this year.

Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), described this nearly 1,918% rise as one of the starkest examples of fiscal opacity in Nigeria's democratic history. He noted that this figure is linked to just 10 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), which collectively account for 84% of the entire budget, according to a statement from his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu.

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Who exactly are the workers earning ₦2.19 trillion? Where are they? What offices do they occupy? What agencies do they belong to?

Focusing on the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar questioned a N2.19 trillion allocation for personnel costs within the SWV. He contrasted this with the N54.8 billion allocated for salaries at the Federal Ministry of Finance, asking, "Who exactly are the workers earning ₦2.19 trillion? Where are they? What offices do they occupy? What agencies do they belong to?" He labeled these figures as "budgetary absurdity rather than legitimate planning."

The former Vice President argued that the sums hidden under the SWV now surpass the combined allocations for education, defense, and agriculture. He suggested a political motive, stating that Nigerians are justified in suspecting the money is being positioned to fund the ruling party's campaign machinery and Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027 unless the administration provides a full accounting. Abubakar urged the National Assembly to conduct a line-by-line probe of the Service-Wide Vote, especially the N2.19 trillion personnel allocation, to ensure full disclosure and restore integrity to Nigeria's budgeting process.

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It is time to open the books, expose the truth and restore integrity to Nigeria’s budgeting process.