…Says ₦25,000 Palliative Is ‘Audio’, Demands Proof of Payments
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded a comprehensive investigation into the Federal Government’s cash-transfer programme, questioning the disbursement of ₦33.75 billion reportedly paid to 3.29 million vulnerable households.
Atiku, in a statement issued yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described the government’s cash-transfer intervention as an “audio palliative” and challenged authorities to publish verifiable evidence of payments made to beneficiaries.
He was reacting to reported audit findings attributed to the Auditor-General of the Federation, Shaakaa Chira, which allegedly raised questions over the management and disbursement of funds meant to cushion the effects of economic hardship on vulnerable Nigerians.
According to Atiku, the reported ₦33.75 billion shared among 3.29 million households translates to about ₦10,258 per household, which he said was grossly inadequate amid rising food, transportation, electricity and other living costs.
“This is beyond a bookkeeping scandal. The intervention is insultingly small, yet even that small amount cannot be cleanly accounted for,” Atiku said.
The former Vice President also questioned what he described as inconsistencies in government figures on the number of beneficiaries of the programme.
He recalled that previous government claims suggested that about 15 million households were covered, while subsequent claims indicated that more than 10 million households had received over ₦600 billion.
Atiku said the government should provide evidence showing the identities of beneficiaries, amounts paid and dates of disbursement.
“A ministerial announcement is not proof of payment. A name on a social register is not a bank alert,” he said.
He cited reported audit queries involving ₦33.75 billion allegedly paid to 3.29 million beneficiaries, ₦36.74 billion reportedly disbursed without pre-payment audit and another ₦4.62 billion for which payment vouchers were allegedly not produced.
Atiku said the figures warranted a thorough investigation because the funds were appropriated to support Nigerians facing severe economic hardship.
He also commended the Auditor-General for raising questions about the expenditure, insisting that public institutions must prioritise accountability.
The former Vice President announced plans to constitute an independent team of financial, audit, technology and public-accounting experts to examine records relating to the cash-transfer programme.
He said the team would scrutinise beneficiary figures, payment channels, reconciliation records, audit queries and other discrepancies surrounding the disbursements.
“I will deploy independent experts to follow the money, expose those who stole from the poor, furnish Nigerians with the evidence and ensure that everyone found culpable faces prosecution,” Atiku said.
He challenged the Federal Government to publish verifiable payment records and recover any funds found to have been diverted or misappropriated.
Atiku also criticised the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration, arguing that Nigerians needed stronger purchasing power rather than what he described as temporary palliative measures.
He advocated his proposed “production-linked subsidy”, which he said would support domestic refining, increase local energy supply and reduce production and transportation costs.
According to him, lower energy and transportation costs would help ease pressure on food prices and household budgets.
“The poor have already paid enough through higher fuel prices, food costs, electricity bills, transportation fares and taxes. They must not also be made to lose the money appropriated in their name,” he said.
Atiku challenged the Federal Government to account for every naira appropriated for vulnerable Nigerians and prosecute any official found culpable of diverting or misappropriating public funds.
“So, Bola, the question remains: Where is the poor man’s money?” he asked.
He said Nigerians were no longer satisfied with government announcements, but wanted transparent records, recovery of unaccounted funds and economic policies capable of restoring their purchasing power.
