Atiku questions ₦1.08tn budget allocation to Enugu cooperative college, demands accountability

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over the 2026 Appropriation Act following reports that the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, was allocated ₦1.08 trillion to execute 2,791 capital projects across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The former vice president was reacting to an independent analysis of the 2026 budget by civic technology organisation, Tracka, which highlighted the allocation.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku commended Tracka for bringing the budgetary provision to public attention, describing it as one of the most troubling examples of alleged budget distortion under the Tinubu administration.

According to Atiku, the revelation comes at a time when the Federal Government is urging Nigerians to accept economic reforms, increased taxes and rising public debt as necessary measures for national recovery.

He argued that such a budgetary allocation contradicts the administration’s claims of prudent financial management.

“Nothing exposes the hollowness of that claim more than a budget that turns a federal cooperative college into one of Nigeria’s largest project-implementing agencies,” he said.

The former vice president questioned how an institution established primarily to promote cooperative education could be assigned responsibility for thousands of projects spread across the country.

He noted that the projects reportedly include roads, drainage systems, solar streetlights, markets, football pitches, dialysis centres, ambulances, water schemes, recycling plants, empowerment programmes and several other capital projects.

“It defies logic, public finance principles and the statutory mandate of the institution that a cooperative college should suddenly become responsible for implementing thousands of projects nationwide,” Atiku stated.

He also demanded explanations regarding the legal basis for the arrangement and those responsible for approving the projects.

“Who decided that a cooperative college should become one of Nigeria’s largest project implementation agencies? Under what law was it assigned responsibility for 2,791 projects? Who nominated these projects, who approved them, who will supervise them, and who will ultimately be held accountable?” he asked.

Atiku further argued that the reported allocation undermines the Federal Government’s repeated assurances of fiscal discipline and prudent management of public resources.

According to him, a government that has removed fuel subsidy, increased taxes, accumulated significant public debt and appealed to Nigerians to make sacrifices cannot simultaneously operate what he described as a budget that appears to channel public spending through institutions lacking the statutory mandate and institutional capacity to execute projects of such magnitude.

He alleged that the development raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability and the management of public funds.

The former vice president maintained that a government planning to spend ₦1.08 trillion through a federal cooperative college could not credibly claim to be fighting waste or promoting fiscal responsibility.

“It looks less like governance and more like a blueprint to defraud Nigerians,” Atiku stated.