Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s fiscal transparency following an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report alleging that public expenditure equivalent to two per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product was omitted from recent budgets.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the disclosure as evidence of what he called institutional corruption, demanding an investigation into the matter.
He said, “If, as the IMF has revealed, expenditure amounting to two per cent of Nigeria’s GDP was omitted from the budget process, then Nigerians are entitled to one simple question: who authorised and benefited from it?”.
Atiku added that the issue goes beyond an accounting error, insisting it raises constitutional and moral concerns over public spending. He also linked the IMF report to the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), saying both developments raise questions about financial accountability.
He called on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to explain how the body was recognised and urged the Auditor-General of the Federation, the National Assembly, the EFCC and the ICPC to investigate the matter.
Atiku maintained, “The matter transcends politics; it is about whether Nigeria is governed by law or discretion”, stressing the need for transparency and accountability to restore public confidence in government institutions.
