Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has raised concerns over what he described as N4.9 billion worth of road projects included in the 2026 budget of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education.
In a statement issued Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the allocations “raise serious questions about the way public funds are being planned and spent.” He argued that the commission was established to address the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, “not to execute road construction projects.”
Citing the 2026 Appropriation Act, Atiku listed several road projects under the commission’s budget. He said about N1.4 billion was allocated for the rehabilitation and construction of Obasanjo-Itele Road, Nazareth Road Oke Ola, Imeko, Idogo Township Road and Odedeyo-Mewuro Road.
He also stated that another N1.4 billion was set aside for the construction of Eyini High School-Lusada Junction Road, Ibooro, Idiya Central Community Road, Roundabout Abeokuta, Ile Ise Community Asuje Road and Soyote Community Road.
According to the statement, N1.05 billion was budgeted for Pakuj-Yporan Township Road in Ipokia Ward 2, while an additional N1.05 billion was earmarked for RCC Opposite Honda Agbebi Community Road and Ajuwon Baale Road.
“Since when did the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education become a road construction agency?” Atiku asked.
He said Nigeria has “more than 20 million children out of school,” and argued that it was “inappropriate for an education-focused agency to fund road projects instead of addressing its main responsibility.”
“At a time when schools are collapsing under neglect and the Almajiri crisis continues to threaten the future of millions of children, converting an education commission into a contractor for road projects is a betrayal of its core mandate,” the statement read.
Atiku alleged that the budget items point to a broader pattern of placing projects “inside agencies that are less likely to attract public attention.” He said the issue should not be seen as “an isolated mistake” but as part of what he described as “repeated cases of budget padding and suspicious insertions.”
He referenced previous allegations concerning the 2023 budget, in which funds meant for the Federal College of Education, Umunze, were allegedly redirected to constituency projects in Surulere I Federal Constituency while Femi Gbajabiamila served as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Atiku also linked the matter to controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). He cited allegations by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who reportedly accused Gbajabiamila of demanding an upfront payment of N400 million and about N12.5 billion from the agency’s proposed N27.4 billion take-off grant before approving his appointment as Director-General.
“If he is truly the fraudster government spokespersons portray him to be, why has he not been arraigned before a competent court? Why is the organisation reportedly still operating from the Federal Secretariat? How was he able to visit the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission while supposedly under investigation?” Atiku asked.
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “could not be separated from the matter” because he signed the 2026 Appropriation Act into law.
“If billions of naira can be hidden under agencies with no legal mandate to execute such projects, then either the President approved these distortions or he was completely unaware of what was happening under his watch. The first possibility amounts to complicity. The second amounts to an absentee presidency,” Atiku said.
He called on the National Assembly to explain how the allocations passed through the legislative process and urged lawmakers and relevant authorities to conduct “a transparent and independent investigation” into the alleged budget irregularities and issues surrounding the PFIPC.
As of press time, the Federal Government, the National Assembly, and Femi Gbajabiamila had not publicly responded to the allegations.
