Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to explain what he described as a suspicious ₦12.8 trillion allocation under the Service-Wide Vote (SWV) in the 2026 federal budget, alleging that the government is concealing trillions of naira in unaccountable spending.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said the Service-Wide Vote—a discretionary budget provision—rose sharply from ₦638 billion in the 2025 budget to ₦12.8 trillion in 2026, representing an increase of nearly 1,918 per cent. He described the jump as one of the most glaring examples of fiscal opacity in Nigeria's democratic history.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the allocation is linked to only 10 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which collectively account for 84 per cent of the entire 2026 budget.

The former Vice President expressed particular concern over the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, where he noted that ₦2.19 trillion of the Service-Wide Vote is earmarked for personnel costs. He contrasted the figure with the ₦54.8 billion allocated for salaries at the Federal Ministry of Finance, questioning the legitimacy of the expenditure.

"Who exactly are the workers earning ₦2.19 trillion? Where are they? What offices do they occupy? What agencies do they belong to?" Atiku asked, describing the figures as "budgetary absurdity" rather than credible fiscal planning.

He further argued that the amount set aside under the Service-Wide Vote exceeds the combined allocations to the education, defence and agriculture sectors, raising concerns over the transparency and accountability of the federal budget.

Atiku said Nigerians would be justified in suspecting that the funds could be intended to finance the ruling party's political machinery and President Tinubu's 2027 re-election campaign unless the administration provides a full account of the expenditure.

According to him, the 2026 budget reflects a broader credibility crisis, insisting that a government calling on citizens to endure economic hardship cannot simultaneously hide trillions of naira under vague budget headings without eroding public confidence.

He called on the National Assembly to conduct a thorough, line-by-line investigation into the Service-Wide Vote, particularly the ₦2.19 trillion personnel allocation, and compel the government to disclose the beneficiaries of the funds and the legal basis for the expenditure.

"It is time to open the books, expose the truth and restore integrity to Nigeria's budgeting process," Atiku said.