N210b Duplicate Allocations: Atiku Seeks Probe of 2026 Budget

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called on the National Assembly to carry out a full forensic investigation into the 2026 Appropriation Act following reports of more than ₦210 billion in duplicated and overlapping budget allocations.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the reported irregularities, coupled with Nigeria’s poor performance on many internationally recognised prosperity indicators, reflect what he described as poor fiscal management by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, Nigerians have endured years of economic hardship after being told that the removal of fuel subsidy, exchange rate reforms, increased taxes and higher tariffs were necessary measures that would eventually improve the economy. He argued that the discovery of over ₦210 billion in duplicated budget allocations has raised fresh concerns about the management of public funds.

Atiku said the reported duplication of allocations points to a wider pattern of questionable budgeting practices. He referred to previous reports of funds being allocated to projects outside the legal responsibilities of some government agencies, as well as the inclusion of large budgetary provisions whose necessity has been questioned.

The former Vice President also referred to the audited 2024 financial statements of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, which reportedly showed that ₦7.13 trillion was spent on what the company described as Energy Security Expenses. He argued that the expenditure appeared to contradict the Federal Government’s claim that fuel subsidy was removed in 2023.

He maintained that the effects of poor fiscal management are visible in the everyday lives of Nigerians, pointing to rising hardship, struggling businesses, unemployment among graduates and declining living standards despite official claims of economic progress.

Atiku urged the Auditor-General of the Federation, anti-corruption agencies and civil society organisations to independently examine the 2026 budget. He said those responsible for any duplicated allocations should be identified, while all funds wrongly appropriated should be recovered.

He also pledged that an ADC-led administration would reform the country’s budgeting process by promoting transparency, adopting zero-based budgeting, introducing digital systems for tracking public spending and holding public officials personally accountable for the management of government resources.

The former Vice President maintained that Nigeria needs responsible management of public funds and called for greater accountability in the use of the nation’s resources.