Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has alleged that a N12.8 trillion allocation was concealed in the 2026 Federal Budget under the Service-Wide Vote (SWV). The claim was contained in a statement released on Monday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, as Atiku called for greater transparency in the management of public funds.
According to Atiku, the allocation is located under the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and forms part of the Service-Wide Vote in the 2026 Appropriation Act. He argued that the size of the allocation raises concerns about accountability and the management of government spending.
The former vice president also claimed that about 84 percent of the entire 2026 budget is concentrated in 10 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). He said the concentration of such a large portion of the budget in a few institutions, together with the increase in the Service-Wide Vote, deserves public explanation.
Atiku noted that the Service-Wide Vote was put at N638 billion in the 2025 budget but increased to N12.8 trillion in the 2026 budget. He said the sharp rise within one year requires a detailed explanation from the Federal Government, including how the funds will be spent, the agencies responsible for the expenditure and the legal basis for the allocation.
He argued that Nigerians have a right to know how public resources are being managed and should be fully informed about any major increase in government spending. He maintained that openness in budget implementation is necessary to strengthen public confidence in government institutions.
Atiku further stated that failure by the Tinubu administration to provide clear details about the allocation could raise further public concerns over the purpose of the funds. He urged the government to disclose full information on the Service-Wide Vote and account for the planned use of the money in line with the principles of transparency and accountability.