Atiku Abubakar Condemns ₦22.15bn Palace Allocation in 2026 Budget
The 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticized the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allocating ₦22.15 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act for the construction and renovation of 106 traditional palaces across Nigeria. Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described the allocation as a direct violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
In a statement made available to Legit.ng on Thursday, July 23, 2026, Atiku argued that the 1999 Constitution does not empower the Federal Government to fund or manage traditional institutions. He emphasized that such responsibilities fall exclusively under the purview of state and local governments. "A federal budget cannot lawfully be used to assume responsibilities that the Constitution has assigned elsewhere," Atiku stated, pointing to the Third Schedule, Part II of the Constitution, which only permits states to establish a Council of Chiefs to advise governors on chieftaincy matters.
Lack of Transparency Raises Concerns
Beyond the constitutional issue, Atiku raised serious concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the palace projects. He noted that the Federal Government has not disclosed the names of the traditional rulers involved, the locations of the palaces, or the contract award process. "Government wants Nigerians to approve ₦22.15 billion for 106 palace projects, yet it cannot identify the beneficiaries or tell the nation where those palaces are located. Every road, school, hospital, and constituency project in the national budget carries a location. Why are these projects hidden? That is not budgeting; it is writing a blank cheque for corruption," he warned.
Atiku cautioned that the secrecy could lead to the diversion of funds, with traditional rulers potentially never benefiting from the allocations. He stressed that his criticism was not directed at traditional institutions, which he said deserve dignity, but at the misuse of public funds under the guise of supporting them.
Demands for Full Disclosure
The former vice president called on the Presidency, the Budget Office, and relevant ministries to immediately release the full list of the 106 palaces, the amounts allocated to each, the constitutional justification for the expenditure, and details of the procurement process. He demanded that the government provide a clear legal basis for the spending or face accusations of using traditional institutions to legitimize questionable expenses.
Previous Controversies: PFIPC and Religious Projects
This is not the first time Atiku has challenged the Tinubu administration over budgetary allocations. Earlier, he called on President Tinubu to resign over the conflicting accounts from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) regarding the PFIPC accounts. Atiku argued that the discrepancies had trapped the administration in a credibility crisis and demanded an independent investigation.
Additionally, Atiku questioned the ₦8.05 billion set aside for religious projects in the 2026 budget, including ₦1.91 billion for church projects and ₦6.14 billion for mosque-related projects. He demanded that the government name every beneficiary institution and project location, warning that using religion to hide misuse of funds would not be tolerated.
