Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized the inclusion of N6.44 billion in the 2026 budget for a Presidential Support Group for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, describing the allocation as questionable since Nigeria had already failed to qualify for the tournament before the budget was presented.
In a statement issued on Wednesday through his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku expressed concern over the expenditure, arguing that it raises serious questions about the credibility of the country’s budgeting process.
His remarks come amid ongoing controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), following the arrest of Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly headed the fake agency. The agency had reportedly received a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget.
Reacting to the latest discovery, Atiku questioned the rationale behind budgeting billions of naira for World Cup qualifiers after Nigeria’s elimination.
“How can a responsible government allocate N6.44 billion for presidential support for World Cup qualifiers when Nigeria had already been knocked out? What event was the money meant for? Who approved the allocation, and who stood to benefit from it?” he asked.
He argued that the provision goes beyond poor planning, describing it as further evidence that the national budget has become a channel for wasteful and unjustifiable spending.
Atiku also called for an independent investigation into both the alleged PFIPC fraud and the controversial World Cup budget allocation.
According to him, the bigger issue is not only the alleged impersonation by Adeyemi but also claims that the Tinubu administration allowed him to operate with the appearance of official government authority, giving him access to institutions and diplomatic engagements under the guise of representing the Federal Government.