Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Tinubu administration over the allocation of ₦22.15 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act for the construction, renovation, and furnishing of 106 traditional palaces across Nigeria, describing the spending as unconstitutional and lacking transparency.
The allocation was highlighted in a report by Tracka, a public accountability initiative of the BudgIT Foundation, which revealed that billions of naira had been earmarked for palace-related projects at a time when sectors such as healthcare and education continue to face funding challenges. The report also noted that the federal budget carries a deficit of ₦31.45 trillion alongside rising debt obligations.
According to Tracka, an examination of the budget showed that 11 palace projects valued at ₦5.85 billion have no clearly identified locations, making public monitoring and accountability difficult. The report further stated that 45 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were assigned to execute the projects, despite many of them having no statutory responsibility for constructing or renovating royal palaces.
Among the agencies listed are the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, which was allocated over ₦2.6 billion for the renovation of community halls and palaces in selected communities, the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), which received ₦1.54 billion for the modernisation and furnishing of selected heritage palaces, and the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), which was assigned projects worth nearly ₦4 billion for palace-related works across several states.
Other agencies, including the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), the National Horticultural Research Institute, and the Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute, were also allocated hundreds of millions of naira for similar projects in different parts of the country.
Reacting to the allocations, Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, argued that the Constitution does not empower the Federal Government to build or renovate traditional rulers’ palaces, maintaining that such responsibilities fall within the jurisdiction of state and local governments.
He also questioned the absence of detailed information on many of the projects, including the identities of the beneficiary traditional rulers and the locations of the palaces, saying the lack of transparency undermines public accountability.
Atiku described the spending as “a blank cheque for corruption,” warning that the secrecy surrounding the projects fuels suspicion that some may exist only on paper.
He further accused the Tinubu administration of failing to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians despite trillions of naira appropriated since 2023, citing worsening economic conditions, high inflation, insecurity, declining purchasing power, and the closure of businesses.
The former vice president called on the Presidency, the Budget Office, and all relevant MDAs to immediately publish the full list of the 106 palace projects, their locations, individual allocations, the constitutional basis for the expenditure, and details of the procurement process to ensure transparency and public accountability.
