Nigeria political parties contest fiscal transparency and 2027 election readiness

Nigerian political parties and opposition leaders are raising concerns regarding fiscal management and election preparations. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged the Bola Tinubu administration to publish the identities of 3.29 million beneficiaries of a N33.75 billion cash-transfer programme. This follows an Auditor-General report citing a lack of documentation and potential risks of payments reaching fictitious beneficiaries.

Simultaneously, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government for its massive domestic borrowing, which reached N24.7 trillion between January and August 2026. Abubakar argued that this borrowing, occurring despite rising oil prices and revenue boosts from fuel subsidy removal, is starving private businesses of credit and harming the economy.

Regarding the 2027 general elections, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has denied allegations of favoritism and illegal payments in its candidate selection process. The party maintains that all funds from aspirants and members are documented and will be reported to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The NDC and ADC also dismissed reports claiming they lack governorship candidates in several states, asserting they have established robust national structures.