The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected allegations by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that the Federal Government is using the service-wide vote to finance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
In a statement, the ruling party described Atiku’s claims as baseless, misleading, and politically motivated, insisting that the service-wide vote is a legitimate budgetary provision designed to address unforeseen government expenditures and national emergencies.
The APC maintained that funds appropriated under the service-wide vote are managed in accordance with Nigeria’s public finance regulations and are subject to oversight mechanisms, dismissing suggestions that they are being diverted for partisan political purposes.
According to the party, Atiku failed to provide credible evidence to support his allegations and was merely attempting to discredit the Tinubu administration ahead of the 2027 general election.
“The service-wide vote is a statutory budgetary provision for government operations and contingencies. It is not a political campaign fund, and any attempt to portray it otherwise is intended to mislead Nigerians,” the APC said.
The party further accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election of engaging in premature political campaigns and making unfounded allegations to gain public sympathy.
The controversy follows Atiku’s recent criticism of the Federal Government’s spending, in which he alleged that public funds were being deployed to advance President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
Political analysts say the exchange reflects the increasingly heated political atmosphere as parties begin to position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections, with accusations and counter-accusations expected to intensify in the coming months.
The APC reaffirmed its confidence in President Tinubu’s administration, urging Nigerians to judge the government by its policies and performance rather than what it described as “unsubstantiated political rhetoric.”
