The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a blistering attack on former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of spreading falsehood and exploiting ignorance over the 2026 Service-Wide Vote (SWV) to discredit President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed Atiku’s allegation that the 2026 Service-Wide Vote was earmarked to finance President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, describing the claim as “highly mischievous” and evidence of “disturbing ignorance” of public finance.
According to Morka, the former vice president failed to present any evidence to support what he termed a sensational allegation intended to mislead Nigerians and divert attention from what he described as the administration’s growing achievements.
“Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has become more disoriented and misguided than ever before in the history of his failed serial presidential bid. His recent allegation that the 2026 budgetary Service-Wide Vote (SWV) was set aside to fund President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign is either highly mischievous or shows disturbing ignorance of basic principles of public finance.”
The APC spokesman argued that Atiku’s claims were based entirely on speculation and lacked factual backing.
“Beyond the headline allegation, Atiku did not advance any facts to verify his sensational claim, which is based purely on conjecture and calculated to inflame, mislead, and distract Nigerians from the visible and steady progress recorded under President Tinubu’s administration.”
Morka said it was surprising that a former vice president and long-time presidential aspirant could misunderstand the concept of the Service-Wide Vote, describing it as a globally recognised budgetary provision rather than a secret political fund.
“You would think that a former Vice President, a man with the longest-standing ambition to be president of Nigeria, would understand the concept and instrument of a ‘Service-Wide Vote’, an elementary principle of public finance.”
He explained that the Service-Wide Vote is a long-established budgetary mechanism used to fund government-wide obligations and unforeseen expenditures after the passage of the annual budget.
“A Service-Wide Vote is a long-established and widely used budgetary mechanism designed to cater for government-wide obligations and unforeseen expenditures that arise after the annual budget has been passed. Similar contingency arrangements exist in virtually all major economies and democracies of the world. A Service-Wide Vote is not a secret fund or an illegal slush account, as Atiku has baselessly and recklessly alleged.”
The ruling party also turned its attention to Atiku’s record in public office, accusing him of lacking the moral authority to question the Tinubu administration’s fiscal management.
“The ghost of his sordid past haunts Atiku. Ironically, a man whose reputation as a public servant is mired in some of Nigeria’s darkest episodes of mindless corruption and profligacy would attempt to smear a high-achieving administration and lecture Nigerians on matters of fiscal responsibility and budgetary transparency. Atiku is only seeking to ascribe to others out of the overflowing store of misdeeds in his long and wasteful years in government.”
The APC further accused the former vice president of repeatedly offering criticism without presenting a credible alternative vision for the country.
“As a serial presidential contestant, Atiku has never once articulated a clear vision or coherent plan for Nigeria’s development but has remained a petty peddler of fake news and doomsday narratives. Spewing baseless and inflammatory allegations without justification is utterly irresponsible and unbecoming of a former Vice President.”
Drawing a sharp contrast between President Tinubu and the opposition leader, Morka said Nigerians could distinguish between what he described as purposeful leadership and desperate politics.
“Nigerians are discerning enough to tell the difference between President Tinubu and the desperate, rudderless presidential candidates such as Atiku. President Tinubu is busy transforming national challenges to national opportunities, and making big and unprecedented wins for our country.”
Highlighting the administration’s achievements, the APC cited key interventions, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the implementation of the new national minimum wage, the Consumer Credit Scheme, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative, investments in infrastructure, healthcare and agriculture, as well as ongoing tax reforms aimed at stimulating economic growth and easing the burden on low-income Nigerians.
The party maintained that the Tinubu administration remains committed to delivering on its Renewed Hope Agenda through economic reforms, institutional strengthening, infrastructure expansion and improved living standards for Nigerians, insisting it would not be distracted by what it described as politically motivated allegations from the opposition.
