Atiku to probe ₦33.75bn cash transfers to 3.29m households under Tinubu govt
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to launch an independent investigation into the disbursement of ₦33.75 billion reportedly paid to 3.29 million vulnerable Nigerian households under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Atiku said the proposed probe would seek to establish whether the funds actually reached the intended beneficiaries and provide Nigerians with a verifiable trail of how the money was disbursed.
His position was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, following concerns raised in an audit report over the government’s cash-transfer programme.
According to Atiku, the ₦33.75 billion reportedly paid to 3.29 million households amounts to approximately ₦10,258 per household, raising questions about the actual beneficiaries and the process through which the funds were distributed.
He said his administration, if elected, would constitute an independent team comprising financial experts, auditors, technology specialists and public-accounting professionals to trace the funds using available government and payment records.
Atiku argued that the investigation should not be left entirely to the government accused of overseeing the disbursement, insisting that Nigerians deserve independent answers concerning the whereabouts and utilisation of the funds.
“Government cannot investigate itself,” Atiku said, according to the statement, stressing the need for an independent examination of the transactions.
The former vice president also questioned discrepancies surrounding the figures released by the Federal Government regarding its social intervention programme.
He noted that the government had claimed that more than ₦600 billion had been disbursed to over 10 million households, while an earlier public figure had put the number of beneficiaries at about 15 million.
Atiku further cited audit findings which reportedly raised questions over ₦36.74 billion in payments allegedly made without pre-payment audit, as well as another ₦4.62 billion for which payment vouchers were reportedly not produced.
He commended the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira, for raising questions over the transactions, saying the concerns deserved proper scrutiny.
According to Atiku, if the transactions were processed through Remita or other traceable payment channels, there should be records capable of showing who received the money, when it was paid and through which channels.
He said any funds found not to have reached their intended beneficiaries should be recovered, while anyone found to have diverted, misapplied or misappropriated public funds should face prosecution.
Atiku also used the opportunity to criticise the Tinubu administration’s handling of the country’s economic challenges, arguing that government policies should focus on reducing the cost of energy, transportation and food.
He reiterated his support for policies aimed at strengthening domestic refining and local production as part of efforts to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and ease pressure on Nigerians.
The proposed investigation is part of Atiku’s broader criticism of the Tinubu administration over transparency, accountability and the management of public funds.
The former vice president is seeking to position the ADC as an alternative political platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
