Tinubu presidency has disgraceful track record of transparency in corruption cases: Atiku

Nigerian opposition party leader, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday said that President Bola Tinubu’s government has a “disgraceful track record” of shunning transparency in corruption cases.

Mr Abubakar, a former vice president between 1999-2023, lashed out at Mr Tinubu’s government in a statement reacting to the recent allegations of budget padding totalling N3 trillion by the Senate.

“The current federal government has a disgraceful track record of ignoring issues of transparency and due process in public administration,” said Mr Abubabar.

“The unresolved $3.3 billion NNPCL loan repayment scandal, with Nigeria now expected to repay $12 billion, remains a glaring example,” he added.

Mr Abubakar’s criticism of Mr Tinubu’s administration follows Senator Abdul Ningi’s allegations that the 2023 budget was padded with over N3 trillion.

Although the Senate on Tuesday debunked Mr Ningi’s allegations and suspended him for three months, the matter remains on the front burner of public discussion as Nigerians call for a thorough investigation.

Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson for Mr Tinubu, had dismissed Mr Ningi’s allegations in a statement last week. However, it comes as another episode of corruption under Mr Tinubu’s government.

In January, Mr Tinubu swiftly suspended Betta Edu, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, over allegations of corruption.

In a leaked memo, Ms Edu requested that the office of the accountant-general wire N585 million earmarked to reduce the poverty of vulnerable citizens in Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Lagos, and Ogun states into the UBA account—2003682151 of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.

Peoples Gazette also exposed how Chief of Naval Staff Emmanuel Ogalla coordinated the bunkering of Nigerian crude and multibillion-naira contract-splitting fraud.

Tinubu-led government vowed to investigate Mr Ogalla. However, nothing has been done since The Gazette’s expose.