Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Federal Government to publish a full breakdown of the ₦12.8 trillion Service-Wide Vote (SWV) in the 2026 budget, saying the huge allocation raises serious accountability concerns.
Atiku’s Media Office accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of avoiding key questions by responding with insults instead of facts.
The statement came after APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka defended the controversial allocation.
The media office said Morka failed to explain why the Service-Wide Vote increased from ₦638.34 billion in the 2024 budget to more than ₦12.8 trillion in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
It said the jump of about 1,918 per cent within two years demands a clear explanation.
The statement stressed that it does not oppose the use of a Service-Wide Vote as a recognised budget tool. Instead, it questioned the size of the allocation and the lack of transparency surrounding it.
The statement argued that the ₦12.8 trillion allocation rivals the combined budgets of major sectors such as defence, education, healthcare and works.
It urged the APC to explain the reasons behind the sharp increase.
Consequently, the media office claimed that many items under the allocation remain vague or lack proper descriptions. It warned that a contingency fund without clear details, accountability or transparency could become a slush fund open to abuse.
The statement said Nigerians want answers, not political attacks. It also accused the Tinubu administration of failing to address concerns over duplicated budget provisions, unclear religious project allocations, unnamed palace renovations and other disputed appropriations that have weakened public confidence in the federal budget.
The media office insisted that insults cannot replace accountability. It said the APC must explain the 1,918 per cent increase and identify the projects tied to the allocation.
Atiku’s Media Office demanded that the Tinubu administration publish a comprehensive breakdown of the ₦12.8 trillion Service-Wide Vote. It asked the government to identify every project, beneficiary, implementing agency and legal basis for each expenditure.
The statement concluded that until the government provides the details, Nigerians have the right to question the allocation and demand greater transparency in the management of public funds.
External links
Budget Office of the Federation
Federal Ministry of Finance
Fiscal Responsibility Commission
