Atiku Demands Probe into Jaw-Dropping N6.44bn World Cup Budget Scandal!

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has vociferously called for an independent investigation into a controversial budgetary allocation of N6.44 billion. This significant sum was earmarked for a “Special Presidential Support Group for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers,” a provision Abubakar finds egregious given that Nigeria had already failed to qualify for the tournament by the time the budget was presented.

In a statement released on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president condemned the allocation as a stark demonstration of fiscal irresponsibility. He demanded that all individuals responsible for inserting and approving this questionable budget line be identified and held accountable. Abubakar highlighted that Nigeria’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign occurred in November 2025, nearly a month before the 2026 Appropriation Bill was even presented to the National Assembly, rendering the allocation indefensible.

Abubakar posed critical questions regarding the allocation: “How does a serious government budget N6.44 billion for presidential support for World Cup qualifiers after the country had already been eliminated? What competition was the money intended to support? Who inserted the provision, who approved it and who was expected to benefit from an expenditure whose stated purpose had already ceased to exist?”

The ADC standard-bearer contended that this controversy extends beyond mere poor planning, serving as a severe indictment of the integrity of Nigeria’s budgeting process. He asserted that such revelations strengthen public suspicion that the national budget has become a conduit for dubious expenditures, wasteful allocations, and projects that lack any legitimate public purpose.

Furthermore, Atiku Abubakar linked this contentious allocation to the unfolding scandal surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). He maintained that this matter also warrants a thorough and independent investigation. He argued that the issue transcends simple allegations of impersonation or forgery by individuals, exposing deeper concerns about how government institutions allegedly recognized and facilitated the activities of an organization whose legitimacy has been questioned.

“The scandal is not merely that one man allegedly impersonated public authority. The greater scandal is that the Tinubu administration allegedly opened the doors of the Nigerian state to him, allowed him to acquire the appearance and privileges of official legitimacy, and permitted him to interact with institutions and diplomatic interests in the name of the Federal Government,” Atiku stated.

In light of these concerns, Abubakar reiterated his call for an independent probe into both the N6.44 billion World Cup budget allocation and the operations of the PFIPC. He emphasized that Nigerians deserve a complete explanation of how such expenditures were approved and how institutional recognitions for the PFIPC were processed. Atiku stressed that every official connected with these controversial matters must be identified, investigated, and held accountable where necessary, asserting that only a transparent inquiry can restore public confidence in the nation’s budgeting and governance processes.