Former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has once again criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration for what he described as corruption, incompetence, misplaced priorities, and a lack of sincerity in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Reacting to a Daily Trust report indicating that the Nigerian Army received only 7% of budget disbursements for security equipment in 2025, Atiku said the development exposes what he called a scandalous failure by the ruling APC administration to properly fund security needs.
In a statement signed by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja on 22 April 2026, Atiku argued that a 7% funding allocation for equipment is far too low to meet the realities of battlefield operations.
Atiku also said the shortfall reflects “corruption, incompetence, and insincerity” on the part of the Tinubu government, adding that a poorly equipped army cannot effectively protect itself or the nation.
“A poorly equipped army can neither protect itself nor the country it is supposed to serve. Lack of adequate funding compromises the security of our military forces and the country at large. Incompetence and corruption that cause a lack of proper and timely disbursement of funds are the main enemies hindering the efforts to address security challenges,” he said.
The ADC chieftain linked recent high-profile deaths of military commanders to the alleged failures in funding and implementation, insisting that security requires urgency in disbursing resources.
“Security challenges demand a sense of urgency in the disbursement of funds, and the Tinubu administration should apologize to Nigerians for its own colossal incompetence and lethargy,” he added.
Atiku further warned that the non-implementation of budgetary allocations has serious consequences for national security, saying the administration appears indifferent to the issue and, in his view, is focusing more on the 2027 election cycle than on protecting the country.
“No country can afford to disburse just 7 percent for equipment purchase and expect its military to perform any magic,” he said.
He also questioned the credibility of Tinubu’s campaign message for 2027, saying a government that relies on propaganda instead of measurable results has no basis to seek re-election.
“What will be Tinubu’s credible campaign issue in 2027?” Atiku asked.
