Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called on the National Assembly (NASS) to launch an immediate forensic review of 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 described the revelations, coupled with Nigeria’s poor performance on nearly 90 per cent of globally recognised prosperity indicators, as evidence of what he called one of the most fiscally irresponsible administrations in the country’s democratic history.
According to him, Nigerians have endured years of economic hardship after being assured that the removal of fuel subsidy, exchange rate unification, increased taxes and higher tariffs were necessary reforms that would ultimately stabilise the economy.
“More than three years later, the same government cannot account for how over ₦210 billion ended up in duplicated and overlapping budget provisions,” he said.
The former vice president argued that the discovery reflects a broader pattern of questionable budgeting, citing allocations for projects outside the statutory mandates of government agencies, as well as multi-billion-naira budget insertions.
Atiku also referenced the audited 2024 financial statements of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, which, according to him, showed that ₦7.13 trillion was spent on “Energy Security Expenses”—a category the company identifies as petrol subsidy—despite the government’s insistence that fuel subsidy was removed in 2023.
He said the alleged fiscal mismanagement has translated into worsening living conditions, with many families struggling to afford meals, small businesses shutting down and graduates facing rising unemployment, even as the government highlights selective economic gains.
Atiku urged the Auditor-General of the Federation, anti-corruption agencies and civil society organisations to independently scrutinise the 2026 budget, identify those responsible for the duplicated allocations and ensure that any improperly appropriated funds are recovered.
He pledged that an ADC-led administration would restore integrity to public finance through transparent budgeting, zero-based expenditure planning, digital tracking of public expenditure and stricter accountability for public officials.
“When the owner of the barn invites goats to keep watch over his harvest, he should not be surprised when hunger follows abundance. Nigeria deserves custodians of her commonwealth, not Bourdillon caretakers of waste,” he added.
