Atiku Questions Tinubu Over Alleged N12.8trn Service-Wide Vote

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to explain the sharp increase in the Service-Wide Vote (SWV) contained in the 2026 federal budget, raising concerns over what he described as a lack of transparency in the spending plan.

Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claimed that the Service-Wide Vote rose from N638 billion in the 2025 budget to N12.8 trillion in 2026. He argued that the increase, which he said represented about 1,918 per cent, deserved a detailed explanation from the Federal Government.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the allocation was linked to only 10 ministries, departments and agencies, which he noted accounted for about 84 per cent of the entire national budget.

The former vice president expressed concern over the allocation made to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. According to him, the ministry received N2.19 trillion under the Service-Wide Vote for personnel costs, a figure he said was far higher than the N54.8 billion allocated for salaries at the Federal Ministry of Finance.

He questioned the identity of the workers covered by the allocation and asked where they were employed, the offices they occupied and the agencies they belonged to. He argued that the figures raised serious questions about the credibility of the budget.

Atiku also stated that the amount set aside under the Service-Wide Vote was larger than the combined allocations for education, defence and agriculture. He said the size of the allocation had created concerns about the purpose for which the funds would eventually be used.

According to him, many Nigerians could suspect that the money was being reserved to support the ruling party and President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign unless the government provided a clear account of the expenditure.

He further argued that the budget reflected broader concerns about transparency and accountability, adding that a government asking citizens to make sacrifices should also be willing to provide full details of how public funds would be spent.

Atiku called on the National Assembly to carry out a detailed investigation into the Service-Wide Vote, with particular attention to the N2.19 trillion personnel allocation. He urged lawmakers to determine who the beneficiaries were and the legal basis for the expenditure.

He also appealed for greater openness in the budgeting process, saying full disclosure of the allocations would help strengthen public confidence in the management of government finances.