A fresh political storm is brewing in Nigeria after former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, demanded a full independent investigation into a controversial ₦6.44 billion budget allocation for a “Special Presidential Support Group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers”despite Nigeria having already crashed out of the qualification race months before the 2026 budget was presented.
The opposition leader questioned why billions of naira were reportedly earmarked for a World Cup qualification campaign that had already ended in failure, describing the development as a serious test of transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility.
In a statement released through his media aide, Atiku asked who introduced the budget provision, who approved it and what exactly the money was expected to finance after the Super Eagles were no longer in contention for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to him, the allocation raises troubling questions about how Nigeria’s national budget is prepared and whether public funds are being inserted into the budget without proper justification. He argued that Nigerians deserve clear explanations on how such a provision found its way into the appropriation process.
The former vice president said the issue goes beyond what he described as a simple budgeting error. In his view, it reflects deeper concerns about the integrity of public finance management and reinforces public fears that questionable expenditures can be accommodated within the country’s annual budget without sufficient scrutiny.
Atiku also connected the controversy to the ongoing debate surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), insisting that both matters deserve a transparent and independent investigation.
He alleged that the organisation, despite questions surrounding its legitimacy, reportedly gained access to several government institutions, secured office accommodation, recruited hundreds of personnel and allegedly benefited from budgetary allocations. He argued that such activities could not have taken place without significant institutional failures or official collaboration.
The former presidential candidate further alleged that recent developments surrounding the arrest of the council’s self-acclaimed director-general could be used to shift public attention away from broader questions about government accountability. He maintained that the focus should remain on establishing how the organisation allegedly operated and whether public institutions failed in their oversight responsibilities.
Calling for transparency, Atiku urged the National Assembly to immediately establish an independent bipartisan panel to investigate every aspect of the World Cup budget allocation and the PFIPC controversy. He also appealed to the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders to support an impartial investigation.
According to him, allowing the executive alone to investigate issues in which government officials have been mentioned could undermine public confidence in the outcome. He stressed that Nigerians deserve a credible process capable of revealing the full facts behind the allegations.
As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Government had not issued an official response to Atiku’s latest claims.
