Atiku Demands Probe After IMF Flags Missing 2% GDP Spending

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asked President Bola Tinubu’s administration to explain public expenditure that the International Monetary Fund said was omitted from recent Nigerian budgets.

Daily Post, Punch and Vanguard reported that Atiku’s statement, released by his spokesperson Phrank Shaibu on Saturday, centred on the IMF disclosure that spending equivalent to two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product was left outside the budget process.

Atiku linked the disclosure to the continuing controversy around the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which NaijaTrend earlier covered here, and argued that the two issues raised wider questions about public finance and official recognition of the disputed council.

The former vice president also asked Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume to explain how the alleged council gained recognition in government processes. The Presidency has previously denied establishing the council.

Sources: Daily Post, Punch, Vanguard