Atiku Accuses APC Governors Of Diverting Public Funds For 2027 Re-Election Campaign

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and governors elected on the party’s platform of diverting public funds to support political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku alleged that funds meant for governance and public welfare were being redirected into accounts allegedly linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.

The allegation followed recent reports of disputes within the APC Governors’ Forum over the handling of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds and alleged political spending ahead of the elections. The forum, however, denied any internal crisis, while no anti-corruption agency has announced a formal investigation into the claims.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku claimed that resources meant for development were being diverted into “dedicated accounts” for political mobilisation. He argued that the alleged misuse of public funds was worsening poverty, insecurity, and economic hardship across the country.

According to him, the alleged diversion also explains growing tensions among APC governors over access to and management of the funds. Atiku warned Nigerians against rewarding the ruling party with another term despite the country’s economic challenges.

Reacting to the allegations, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) described the alleged diversion of FAAC allocations as “shameless, cruel, and criminal,” particularly at a time when many Nigerians are facing hardship due to rising inflation and economic difficulties.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party alleged that over ₦800 billion may have been mobilised through deductions from FAAC allocations to support political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.

The ADC argued that despite record allocations to states following subsidy removal and currency reforms, living conditions for Nigerians have continued to deteriorate. The party maintained that public resources should be used for healthcare, education, infrastructure, salaries, and security rather than political campaigns.

The opposition party called for an independent investigation into the allegations and urged authorities to determine whether funds belonging to states and local governments were diverted for partisan political purposes.

Meanwhile, civil society group ActionAid Nigeria also called for the impeachment of any governor found guilty of using public resources to fund political campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.