Atiku Vows Probe of ₦33.75bn Cash Transfer Funds

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to establish an independent team of experts to investigate the disbursement of ₦33.75 billion reportedly paid to 3.29 million vulnerable Nigerian households under the Federal Government’s cash transfer programme.

Atiku’s position followed audit concerns over whether the funds actually reached their intended beneficiaries and whether proper records support the reported payments.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said his proposed team would comprise financial, audit, technology and public-accounting experts.

He said ₦33.75 billion shared among 3.29 million households amounted to approximately ₦10,258 per household, questioning the intervention amid rising living costs.

Atiku also questioned conflicting figures concerning the government’s social intervention programme. He said the administration had claimed that more than ₦600 billion was disbursed to over 10 million households, while Nigerians had previously been told that about 15 million households were expected to benefit.

The ADC candidate further cited audit queries concerning ₦36.74 billion in payments allegedly made without pre-payment audit and ₦4.62 billion for which payment vouchers were reportedly not produced for auditors.

He commended the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira, for raising questions over the transactions.

Atiku said official announcements should not replace evidence of actual payments. He argued that if the transactions were processed through traceable payment channels, records should show who received the money, when it was paid and through which channels.

He said any funds found not to have reached intended beneficiaries should be recovered, while anyone found to have diverted or misappropriated public funds should face prosecution.

The former vice president also criticised the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, arguing that government interventions should focus on reducing the cost of living and strengthening Nigerians’ purchasing power.

He said the investigation would follow the money as far as records permit, with findings presented to Nigerians and relevant institutions for further action where legally necessary.

The planned probe adds to Atiku’s broader political criticism of the Tinubu administration ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly over transparency, accountability and management of social intervention funds.