Atiku Faults Tinubu Over ₦22.15bn Palace Projects For Monarchs

Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over a reported ₦22.15bn allocation for palace projects for traditional rulers, saying the Federal Government should not be funding such projects while Nigerians face deeper economic pressure.

The former vice president said public money should go to services that directly affect citizens, not what he described as expensive palace-related spending.

Vanguard, Daily Post and Daily Trust reported the criticism on Thursday. Atiku argued that the national treasury was not a private vault and accused the administration of creating room for waste at a time of tight public finances.

Daily Post reported that Atiku specifically linked the spending to the cost of living crisis, asking why the government would prioritise palaces when many Nigerians are struggling with food, transport and energy costs.

Daily Trust reported that he described the allocation as a blank cheque for corruption. Vanguard also reported his argument that the Federal Government had no business building palaces for monarchs.

The reports did not include a fresh response from the Presidency. The criticism adds to wider opposition pressure over budget choices and public spending under Tinubu.

Sources: Vanguard, Daily Post, Daily Trust