Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Federal Government of inserting about N4.9 billion worth of road projects into the 2026 budget of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education.
He described the allocations as evidence of budget manipulation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the allocations were contained in the 2026 Appropriation Act and questioned why an agency established to tackle Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis was funding road construction projects.
According to ADC presidential hopeful, the commission’s budget includes about N1.4 billion for the rehabilitation and construction of Obasanjo-Itele Road, Nazareth Road Oke Ola, Imeko, Idogo Township Road and Odedeyo-Mewuro Road.
He said another N1.4 billion was earmarked for the construction of Eyini High School-Lusada Junction Road, Ibooro, Idiya Central Community Road, Roundabout Abeokuta, Ile Ise Community Asuje Road and Soyote Community Road.
Atiku further alleged that N1.05 billion was budgeted for Pakuj-Yporan Township Road in Ipokia Ward 2, while another N1.05 billion was allocated for RCC Opposite Honda Agbebi Community Road and Ajuwon Baale Road.
“Since when did the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education become a road construction agency?” Atiku asked.
He argued that with more than 20 million Nigerian children reportedly out of school, channeling billions of naira meant for an education-focused commission into road projects amounted to a distortion of priorities.
“At a time when schools are collapsing under neglect and the Almajiri crisis continues to threaten the future of millions of children, converting an education commission into a contractor for road projects is a betrayal of its core mandate,” he said.
Atiku alleged that the allocations reflected a deliberate pattern of hiding questionable projects in agencies that attract little public scrutiny, thereby making it easier to divert public funds.
He said the latest revelations should not be dismissed as isolated mistakes but viewed as part of what he described as a recurring pattern of budget padding and questionable insertions under the current administration.
The former vice president also recalled allegations that funds appropriated for the Federal College of Education, Umunze, in the 2023 budget were allegedly diverted to constituency projects in Surulere I Federal Constituency while the current Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He linked the alleged budget irregularities to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), insisting that both matters pointed to a disturbing pattern of governance.
Atiku further referenced allegations by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who reportedly accused Gbajabiamila of demanding an upfront payment of N400 million and about N12.5 billion from the agency’s proposed N27.4 billion take-off grant as a condition for securing his appointment as Director-General.
He questioned why Adeyemi had not been prosecuted if government officials genuinely believed he had committed fraud.
“If he is truly the fraudster government spokespersons portray him to be, why has he not been arraigned before a competent court? Why is the organisation reportedly still operating from the Federal Secretariat? How was he able to visit the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission while supposedly under investigation?” he asked.
Mr Atiku maintained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could not distance himself from the controversy because the Appropriation Act bears his signature.
“If billions of naira can be hidden under agencies with no legal mandate to execute such projects, then either the President approved these distortions or he was completely unaware of what was happening under his watch. The first possibility amounts to complicity. The second amounts to an absentee presidency,” he said.
He also challenged the National Assembly to explain how the allocations passed legislative scrutiny and called for a transparent and independent investigation into the alleged budget irregularities and the PFIPC controversy.
