The controversy trailing the 2026 Appropriation Act took a fresh political turn on Wednesday as former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the National Assembly of deepening what he described as a crisis of transparency and accountability in public finance.
Frank, in a statement issued in Abuja, alleged that recurring claims of inflated budgetary allocations, fictitious projects and questionable expenditures had fuelled public distrust in government and raised fresh concerns over the management of Nigeria’s public resources.
According to him, the budget controversy has become emblematic of what he described as a governance culture marked by weak accountability and poor oversight.
“The recent revelations and controversy surrounding the 2026 Federal Budget have further reinforced the widespread perception that this administration represents one of the most troubling governments in Nigeria’s recent history,” he said.
Frank alleged that rather than addressing concerns over public spending, the Federal Government had failed to hold officials accused of financial misconduct accountable, a situation he claimed had encouraged impunity within public institutions.
He also turned his criticism on the 10th National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of failing to exercise effective oversight over the Executive.
The former APC spokesman particularly faulted the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging that the legislature had abandoned its constitutional duty of checking executive excesses and had instead become overly accommodating to the Presidency.
“Rather than serving as an independent institution responsible for holding the Executive accountable, the National Assembly is widely viewed as having abandoned its constitutional responsibility by acting in a manner that appears overly accommodating to the Executive,” he stated.
Frank further urged international development partners to tighten oversight of financial assistance to Nigeria, arguing that future loans, grants and development support should be subject to rigorous transparency and monitoring mechanisms.
He welcomed discussions in the United States Congress on reviewing assistance to Nigeria, saying such scrutiny could strengthen accountability and ensure public funds are used for their intended purposes.
In one of the strongest aspects of his statement, Frank drew a controversial comparison between the current administration and internet fraudsters, alleging that critics believe the government has failed to protect the nation’s commonwealth through prudent management of public resources.
He, however, called on Nigerians to pursue accountability through peaceful and democratic means, urging citizens to defend democratic institutions and use the ballot box to demand responsible leadership.
The Presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly have consistently denied allegations of corruption and maintained that government spending and the budget process comply with constitutional and legal requirements.