Politics
N12.8tn Service-Wide Vote: APC’s reaction exposes guilty conscience — Atiku camp
The Media Office of African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of failing to explain the reported N12.8 trillion Service-Wide Vote, SWV, contained in the 2026 Appropriation Act, describing the ruling party’s reaction as evidence of a “guilty conscience”.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Atiku’s Strategic Media Associate, Olusola Sanni.
The statement was in response to comments by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, who defended the Service-Wide Vote and dismissed Atiku’s criticism.
According to Atiku Media Office, the APC ignored what it described as legitimate concerns about the sharp increase in the Service-Wide Vote and instead resorted to personal attacks.
The Atiku Media Office questioned the justification for increasing the Service-Wide Vote from N638.34 billion in the 2024 budget to more than N12.8 trillion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, representing what it described as an increase of about 1,918 per cent within two years.
“It is remarkable that in his lengthy treatise, Mr. Morka failed to answer the central question: What emergency or unforeseen expenditure justifies increasing the Service-Wide Vote from ₦638.34 billion in 2024 to over ₦12.8 trillion in 2026?” the statement said.
While acknowledging that the Service-Wide Vote is a recognised budgetary provision, the Atiku camp argued that Nigerians are demanding explanations for what it described as the size, transparency and management of the allocation.
It maintained that if the allocation was justified, the Federal Government should explain why the provision had risen to an amount it claimed rivals the combined budgets of key sectors such as defence, education, healthcare and works.
The statement further alleged that several items captured under the allocation were either vaguely described or lacked sufficient details, raising concerns over accountability.
“Even more disturbing is the fact that substantial portions of this allocation are tied to projects that are either vaguely described or not described at all. A contingency fund without specificity, accountability or transparency ceases to be a contingency provision and becomes precisely what Nigerians fear — a slush fund waiting to be abused,” the statement added.
The media office also accused the APC of avoiding what it described as fundamental questions by resorting to insults instead of addressing the issues raised.
It further claimed that the Tinubu administration had previously faced public scrutiny over alleged duplicated budget provisions, religious project allocations and other controversial appropriations, arguing that concerns over the Service-Wide Vote were therefore justified.
The Atiku camp consequently called on the Federal Government to publish a detailed breakdown of the N12.8 trillion Service-Wide Vote, including the projects, beneficiaries, implementing agencies and legal basis for each expenditure.
The Atiku Media Office maintained that full disclosure of the allocation remained necessary to assure Nigerians that public funds were being properly managed.
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Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, has vowed to support President Bola Tinubu’s second term bid ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Udom described Tinubu as the father of Nigerians who has visions and needs the citizens to back him in fulfilling his dreams.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the former governor said: “Let’s be a little bit human, if I were to be in the same position as the president, would I have asked for a second term? The answer is yes. I’m supporting Tinubu, number one because he is the president of my country right now, he’s our father.
“Number two, he has the vision and I keep saying so, look at the macro-economic eco system, the reforms he has made. I keep repeating this, people might not understand now, you that it’s written in the holy books that what you are trying to do understand but herein after, you will begin to see how this thing would yield positive results.
“Thirdly, from the human angle, if I were to be the one, would I have asked for support to complete the vision had for my country? The answer is yes, I would have loved people to support me to complete what I have in mind to do. If I see that the vision is good for the country and the man has the capacity then why not.”
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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ondo State has called on all eligible voters in the state to register for their voter cards before Sunday, July 26.
Dr Mutiu Agboke, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Ondo State, made the call on Wednesday while monitoring the ongoing phase 3 extension of the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, in the state.
Agboke visited INEC Registration Centre along Oda Road, Akure; St. Anthony RCM Primary School, Araromi Akure; St. Stephen Anglican Primary School, Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area, among others.
The REC, who emphasised the importance of CVR despite the approaching deadline, said eligible voters who refused to participate in the exercise were insensitive to their civil responsibility.
“In Nigeria, we have a way of saying INEC has disenfranchised us. If you are aware of this campaign and willingly, you choose not to go, it is not the best for you.
“Another point is that you have deliberately disallowed yourself to participate in the coming election
“One thing that makes you eligible to participate in the coming election is that your name and particulars are in the register of voters,” he said.
Agboke, however, expressed satisfaction with the exercise in Ondo State, and urged the eligible voters to continue registration and collect their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.
“I am assuring those who have registered and those who will do so before Sunday that their PVC will be ready before the 2027 general election,” the REC added.
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Former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, has reacted to the agreement Rabi’u Kwankwaso is said to have had with Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In a post on his verified X handle on Wednesday, Ahmad said Kwankwaso knows very well that 2027 will not be feasible for them.
Recall that Kwankwaso in an interview said he had a written agreement with Peter Obi for a single term of four years if they win the 2027 general elections.
“I read that Senator Kwankwaso said the agreement is for Mr Peter Obi to be on the ballot in 2027 and, regardless of the outcome, he will not contest in 2031 but instead support Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition.
“I like how Kwankwaso entered this political marriage with a clear long-term political strategy in mind, knowing that 2027 will not be feasible for them,” he wrote.
DAILY POST reports that Kwankwaso is the running mate of Peter Obi in next year’s general elections.
The duo joined the NDC in May after dumping the African Democratic Congress, ADC, citing internal divisions and court cases.
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