Atiku Abubakar Slams EFCC Account Freeze, Trillion‑Naira College Budget and Oil Loan Refinancing

Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) decision to freeze Osun State’s statutory allocation account days before the August 15 governorship election, calling the move an assault on democracy and urging an immediate reversal. He warned that restricting access to the state’s principal operational account could disrupt governance, delay salaries and create intimidation.

Atiku also criticised the 2026 Appropriation Act’s allocation of ₦1.08 trillion to the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, describing it as a glaring example of budget distortion and fraud. He questioned how a college could be tasked with executing 2,791 capital projects nationwide, saying, “Nothing exposes the hollowness of that claim more than a budget that turns a federal cooperative college into one of Nigeria’s largest project‑implementing agencies.”

In addition, he denounced the National Economic Council’s approval of a $4.5 billion refinancing of an oil‑backed loan for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, accusing the Tinubu administration of mortgaging Nigeria’s future and perpetuating reckless fiscal habits. He stated, “This administration has turned Nigeria into a nation permanently living on credit.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretary also urged Nigerians to reject Atiku in the 2027 presidential race, citing former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s criticism of Atiku’s record.