Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Budget Misappropriation

On Tuesday, Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President and candidate of the African Democratic Congress, accused President Bola Tinubu of either being complicit or unaware of alleged irregularities in the implementation of the 2026 budget. This follows claims that billions of naira allocated for the National Commission for Almajiri Education were instead earmarked for road construction projects.

Atiku questioned how the commission, which is responsible for the education of Almajiri children, became involved in road construction, arguing that this misallocation represents a betrayal of millions of Nigerian children who remain out of school. He linked the budget controversy to allegations made by Princ Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claimed that senior government officials demanded billions in connection with the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Atiku insisted that mere denials from the presidency are insufficient and called for an independent investigation into the budgetary processes, emphasizing the need for transparency in Nigeria's budget management.