Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that the 2026 Federal Budget contains a concealed N12.8 trillion allocation under the Service-Wide Vote (SWV), calling on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to provide a detailed explanation.
In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the 2026 Appropriation Act as a major setback to transparency and fiscal accountability. He claimed that 84 per cent of the budget is concentrated in just 10 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with the N12.8 trillion allocation housed under the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning through the Service-Wide Vote.
According to Atiku, the Service-Wide Vote increased from N638 billion in the 2025 budget to N12.8 trillion in the 2026 budget, representing an estimated 1,918 per cent rise within one year. He argued that such a significant increase requires full public disclosure, including details of how the funds will be spent, the agencies responsible for managing them and the legal basis for the allocation.
The former vice president warned that failure by the Federal Government to explain the allocation could fuel public suspicion over its intended use. He alleged that the funds could be used to support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, insisting that a transparent government should not conceal public funds under opaque budgetary provisions.
