Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to explain the rationale behind the ₦12.8 trillion allocated to the Service-Wide Vote (SWV) in the 2026 Appropriation Act, describing the provision as unprecedented and lacking transparency.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the budget raises serious concerns about accountability, particularly with the concentration of a substantial portion of public funds under a single budgetary heading.
According to him, the Service-Wide Vote increased from ₦638 billion in the 2025 budget to ₦12.8 trillion in 2026, representing an increase of nearly 1,920 per cent within one fiscal year.
He argued that the Federal Government must provide Nigerians with a detailed breakdown of how the funds would be spent, the agencies responsible for implementing the expenditures and the legal framework guiding the allocation.
“No accountable government can expect citizens to accept such an extraordinary increase in a budgetary provision that has long been criticised for its lack of transparency without offering a comprehensive explanation,” he said.
The former vice president warned that the absence of adequate disclosure could reinforce public suspicion that the funds were intended for political purposes, including preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku also questioned what he described as inconsistencies in the personnel provisions of the budget, noting that while the Federal Ministry of Finance was allocated ₦54.8 billion for personnel costs, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning had a ₦2.19 trillion personnel allocation under the Service-Wide Vote.
He said the disparity raises important questions about the identity of the workers covered by the allocation and the agencies to which they belong.
“The Nigerian people deserve to know who these workers are, where they are employed and why such an enormous personnel allocation is hidden under the Service-Wide Vote,” he stated.
He further observed that the amount earmarked for the Service-Wide Vote exceeded the combined allocations to critical sectors such as education, defence and agriculture, despite the country’s development needs.
Describing the 2026 budget as one requiring greater scrutiny, Atiku urged the National Assembly to conduct a thorough investigation into all allocations captured under the Service-Wide Vote and ensure that every expenditure is supported by clear legal and administrative justification.
He said lawmakers should insist on full disclosure of the beneficiaries and spending framework for the funds, stressing that transparency and accountability remain essential to restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s budgeting process.