Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the Federal Government's public spending following concerns raised by the International Monetary Fund over expenditure allegedly omitted from Nigeria's recent budget framework.
Atiku said the IMF's revelation that public expenditure equivalent to about two per cent of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was not reflected in recent budget documentation raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president argued that the reported omission could not be dismissed as a mere accounting oversight.
"If, as the IMF has revealed, expenditure amounting to two per cent of Nigeria's GDP was omitted from the budget process, then Nigerians are entitled to one simple question: Who stole the missing two per cent of our GDP?" Atiku said.
He described the development as more than a bookkeeping discrepancy, insisting it represents "a constitutional, legal and moral scandal."
"Money does not simply disappear from a national budget. Somebody authorised it. Somebody approved it. Somebody spent it. Somebody benefited from it. Nigerians deserve to know who those people are," he added.
The ADC standard-bearer linked the IMF's observations to the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), which the Presidency has maintained was never established, arguing that both issues point to broader concerns over public financial management.
According to him, it was difficult to reconcile reports that the Federal Ministry of Health allegedly received only ₦36 million in releases despite a budgetary allocation exceeding ₦218 billion, while the disputed PFIPC reportedly had about ₦1.3 billion allocated to it.
"Nothing better illustrates the warped priorities of this administration than a government that starves hospitals and healthcare programmes of funds while ghost agencies somehow find billions waiting for them. This is not fiscal management; it is institutionalised corruption," he stated.
Atiku also called on the George Akume to explain how the disputed council allegedly gained official recognition within government processes.
"The Secretary to the Government of the Federation owes Nigerians a duty of candour. He must come clean. The country deserves to know who authorised the recognition of the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and under whose directive government institutions accorded it official status," he said.
The former vice president further referenced allegations made by Adeniyi Adeyemi, who reportedly claimed that the dispute arose after he refused a demand for a 48 per cent kickback from the Office of the Chief of Staff in relation to a proposed ₦27.3 billion take-off grant for the agency.
He urged authorities to subject the allegation to an independent investigation.
"If the allegations are false, let the government prove them through an open investigation. If they are true, then every official connected with this scandal, regardless of rank or office, must be removed immediately and handed over to the appropriate security agencies for prosecution," Atiku said.
He argued that the controversy comes at a time when Nigerians are contending with the impact of fuel subsidy removal, rising electricity tariffs, persistent inflation, increasing taxation and mounting public debt.
"It is both ironic and cruel that citizens are being asked to make endless sacrifices while government itself cannot transparently explain where enormous public resources have gone," he stated.
Atiku called on the National Assembly, the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Public Accounts Committees of both chambers, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the matter.
He maintained that the issues raised by the IMF go beyond partisan politics and touch on the principles of constitutional governance and public accountability.
"The books must be opened. Every naira must be traced. Every expenditure must be justified. Every official found culpable must be held accountable," he said.
The IMF had recently expressed concern over gaps in Nigeria's fiscal reporting, noting that government expenditure equivalent to about two per cent of GDP was not captured in the country's budget framework. The Fund recommended stronger fiscal transparency, improved budget reporting and tighter public financial management to strengthen accountability.
The IMF's observations came amid the controversy surrounding the alleged PFIPC, with opposition parties and civil society organisations continuing to demand a thorough investigation into the disputed agency and Nigeria's public expenditure management.
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