Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that the 2026 Federal Budget contains a concealed N12.8 trillion allocation under the Service-Wide Vote (SWV), calling for greater transparency from the Tinubu administration.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the budget as a major setback for fiscal accountability, alleging that the large allocation under the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning lacks adequate public explanation.

According to him, about 84 per cent of the 2026 budget is concentrated in 10 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with N12.8 trillion reportedly earmarked under the Service-Wide Vote.

Atiku claimed the allocation represents a sharp increase from the N638 billion provided for the Service-Wide Vote in the 2025 budget, describing the rise as unprecedented.

“President Tinubu owes Nigerians a detailed explanation. No responsible government can expect citizens to accept a nineteen-fold increase in a notoriously opaque budgetary provision without disclosing exactly who will spend the money, what it will be spent on, and under what legal authority,” he said.

The former vice president further argued that failure by the Federal Government to clarify the allocation could fuel public suspicion about its intended use, including claims that it could be deployed for political purposes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning had not publicly responded to Atiku’s allegations.