Atiku Blasts Tinubu Over ₦22.15bn For Traditional Rulers’ Palaces

By Paul Joseph

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the allocation of ₦22.15 billion for the construction and renovation of 106 traditional rulers’ palaces in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the Federal Government has no constitutional mandate to finance palace projects, describing the allocation as unconstitutional and vulnerable to abuse.

According to him, the 1999 Constitution clearly assigns matters relating to traditional institutions to state and local governments, not the Federal Government.

He maintained that President Tinubu, having sworn to uphold the Constitution, cannot use the Appropriation Act to assume powers that the Constitution does not grant.

“The Constitution does not empower the Federal Government to construct or renovate palaces for traditional rulers. Such responsibilities lie with state governments under their respective laws,” Atiku said.

The former vice president questioned the legal basis for spending public funds on the projects, asking under which constitutional provision the Federal Government approved the allocation.

He further criticised the government for failing to disclose the identities of the beneficiaries, the locations of the palaces, and the breakdown of the allocations, warning that the lack of transparency raises concerns about accountability.

According to Atiku, the secrecy surrounding the projects creates suspicion that some of the proposed palace renovations may exist only on paper, with the intended beneficiaries potentially unaware of the allocations made in their names.

He stressed that a national budget should reflect constitutional principles and transparency, insisting that traditional rulers should not be used to justify questionable public spending.

Atiku called on the Presidency, the Budget Office, and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately publish the full list of the 106 palace projects, their locations, the amounts allocated to each, the constitutional justification for the expenditure, and details of the procurement process.

The remarks add to the growing political debate over the implementation of the 2026 federal budget, with opposition parties continuing to question several spending provisions introduced by the Tinubu administration.