Atiku Abubakar Condemns Tinubu Administration Over Scandal Pattern
The 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has launched a fresh attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, accusing it of turning scandals into a recurring feature of governance. In a statement issued on Sunday, July 5, 2026, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) is the latest chapter in an ever-expanding book of scandals that define the Tinubu administration.
Pattern of Unresolved Controversies
Atiku highlighted a series of unresolved controversies under Tinubu's government, including the Humanitarian Affairs scandal, allegations of crude oil theft and illegal tanker releases, discrepancies in the 2024 budget, billions spent on refinery rehabilitation without functional public refineries, procurement irregularities, opaque contract awards, and missing procurement records. He noted that investigations are often announced with fanfare but later fade into official silence.
According to Atiku, the pattern itself has become the scandal. He stated: “From unresolved questions surrounding the Humanitarian Affairs scandal; to allegations of crude oil theft and illegal tanker releases that faded without publicly released investigative reports; from concerns raised over alleged discrepancies in the 2024 budget and the absence of a comprehensive forensic explanation; to the billions reportedly expended on refinery rehabilitation while public refineries remain largely dysfunctional; from procurement controversies involving major infrastructure projects to recurring concerns over opaque contract awards, missing procurement records and appointments of persons linked to unresolved allegations, Nigerians have watched a familiar and deeply troubling pattern unfold. The pattern itself has become the scandal.”
Selective Justice Erodes Trust
Atiku alleged that Tinubu's government moves swiftly when allegations involve ordinary citizens or politically expendable officials, but investigations slow to a crawl when those close to power are implicated. He lamented that this selective application of justice creates a dangerous impression of two systems of accountability in Nigeria: one for the powerful and another for everyone else.
He said: “This selective application of justice is corrosive to public confidence because it creates the dangerous impression that there are two systems of accountability in Nigeria: one for the powerful and another for everyone else.”
Ultimatum for Independent Investigation
Atiku also gave President Tinubu a 7-day ultimatum to order an independent investigation into the PFIPC scandal. He noted that the PFIPC reportedly appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act and received recruitment approval for over 300 staff, undermining claims it never existed. Atiku warned that failure to act would confirm suspicions that powerful government interests benefited from the alleged fraud.
The ADC presidential candidate called for investigations into top officials linked to the controversial PFIPC, emphasizing that public trust erodes as investigations appear selective, favouring the powerful over ordinary citizens.
