Atiku and APC dispute N12.8tn service-wide vote in 2026 budget
via Punch Nigeria5 min read
A controversy has emerged regarding the N12.8tn Service-Wide Vote in the 2026 Appropriation Act, with the All Progressives Congress APC and the media office of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar exchanging accusations. Atiku's media office challenged the Federal Government to explain the significant increase in the allocation, which rose from N638.34bn in 2024 to over N12.8tn in 2026, representing an estimated 1,918 percent rise. Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, called on the National Assembly to conduct a thorough investigation into all allocations under the Service-Wide Vote, particularly the N2.19tn personnel provision, and demand full disclosure of beneficiaries and expenditure frameworks. The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed Atiku's concerns as mischievous and based on a lack of understanding of public finance principles. The party defended the Service-Wide Vote as a standard budgetary mechanism for government-wide obligations and unforeseen expenditures, not a secret fund. The APC also criticized Atiku's past public service record and accused him of attempting to discredit President Bola Tinubu's administration. In response, Atiku's media office, through Strategic Media Associate Olusola Sanni, reiterated the demand for an explanation for the substantial increase, arguing that a contingency fund without specificity and transparency becomes a "slush fund." They called for
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is expected to stay in England beyond his current contract, aiming to qualify for a British passport, according to former Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana. Awoniyi joined Forest in June 2022 for a club-record £17m. Olofinjana, who discovered Awoniyi as a teenager and has guided his career, stated that the striker intends to remain in England long enough to secure British citizenship. Under UK immigration rules, Awoniyi needs five continuous years of living and working in England to be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain ILR, which he could apply for in July 2027. After holding ILR for 12 months, he could then apply for British citizenship, potentially obtaining a British passport around July 2028, provided immigration rules do not change. This timeline aligns with his long-term plans at Forest, making a move outside England unlikely before then. Awoniyi has scored 21 goals and provided five assists in 90 league appearances for Forest across four Premier League seasons. He recently participated in the club's training camp in Spain under new manager Oliver Glasner and captained a friendly match against Blackburn Rovers, where he also scored.
Nigerian sprinter Favour Onyah has expressed her frustration and threatened to stop representing Nigeria after being excluded from the athletics squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Onyah had qualified at the national trials, winning the women’s 400m final with a time of 52.68s and being selected for the women’s 4x400m relay team. She was among 15 athletes who began camp in Abuja, but did not proceed to the final phase of preparations in Scotland. In a TikTok post, Onyah stated, “Yes, I qualified for my first senior Commonwealth Games. And yes, I won’t be running for Nigeria. You can never guess the reason. I already forgave them three times; I don’t plan on making it four. You all are free to judge me for the next step I’ll be taking. I’ve had enough.” Earlier this year, Onyah represented Nigeria at the African Senior Athletics Championships and is a triple gold medalist from the 2025 CAA U-20 African Athletics Championships. Former Nigerian sprinter and athletics coach Deji Aliu criticized the Athletics Federation of Nigeria for inconsistency in its selection standards, emphasizing the importance of clear, published criteria for building trust with athletes, the public, and sponsors.
Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers has reportedly prevented Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare from training with the first team, despite new FIFA regulations designed to protect players from such practices. Reports indicate that Wolves canceled a training session after Arokodare refused to leave the pitch when instructed not to train. The following day, additional security was reportedly deployed to prevent the 25-year-old from returning. This situation arises weeks into the tenure of new manager Cesar Peixoto. Arokodare, who scored six goals last season, has been linked with a move away, with Serie A clubs Genoa and Fiorentina reportedly interested. Fiorentina's offer was reportedly rejected, and Arokodare also declined a move to Trabzonspor. The timing of this dispute is notable as FIFA recently introduced reforms to its Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, in agreement with FIFPRO. These revised rules prohibit clubs from making players train separately or placing them in "bomb squads" to exert pressure during transfer negotiations. FIFPRO stated that these reforms aim to protect players from abusive practices like demoting them or forcing them to train in isolation. Wolves have made several new signings, including Kieran Trippier, Raúl Jiménez, Rafiki Said, and Ladislav Krejčí, bringing their summer spending to approximately £26 million.