The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has described FG allocation of ₦22.15 billion for the construction and renovation of 106 palaces in the 2026 Appropriation Act as unconstitutional, accusing President Bola Tinubu of exceeding the powers granted to the Federal Government under the 1999 Constitution.
Atiku made the assertion in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in response to the palace projects included in the 2026 national budget.
According to the former Vice President, the Nigerian Constitution does not assign the Federal Government responsibility for constructing or renovating traditional rulers’ palaces, insisting that such functions fall within the constitutional responsibilities of state and local governments.
“President Tinubu swore an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, not to amend it through the Appropriation Act. Traditional institutions are matters within the constitutional competence of state and local governments. A federal budget cannot lawfully be used to assume responsibilities that the Constitution has assigned elsewhere,” Atiku said.
He questioned the constitutional basis for the allocation, asking the Federal Government to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that authorises such expenditure.
“Under which provision of the Constitution is the Federal Government appropriating ₦22.15 billion from the Federation Account for the construction and renovation of 106 palaces? Which Constitution is President Tinubu operating?” he asked.
Atiku argued that although the 1999 Constitution recognises traditional institutions through advisory councils established by state governments, it does not empower the Federal Government to finance or administer palace projects.
The ADC presidential candidate also criticised what he described as a lack of transparency surrounding the allocation, noting that unlike other infrastructure projects captured in the budget, many of the proposed palace projects do not clearly identify their beneficiaries or locations.
“Government wants Nigerians to approve ₦22.15 billion for 106 palace projects, yet it cannot identify the beneficiaries or tell the nation where those palaces are located. Every road, school, hospital and constituency project in the national budget carries a location. Why are these projects hidden? That is not budgeting; it is writing a blank cheque for corruption,” he stated.
He further alleged that the absence of details raises concerns that the allocations could become channels for the misappropriation of public funds.
“If these projects are genuine, publish the names of the palaces, the traditional rulers, their locations, the implementing agencies and the contractors. The refusal to do so leaves Nigerians with only one conclusion—that this may be another elaborate conduit for siphoning public funds,” Atiku added.
The former Vice President stressed that his criticism was not directed at traditional rulers, insisting that they should not be drawn into what he described as constitutionally questionable budgetary allocations.
“Our royal fathers deserve dignity and respect. They must not be used as unwilling instruments to legitimise opaque and constitutionally questionable budgetary allocations. If this administration truly respects the traditional institution, it should stop hiding behind it,” he said.
Atiku called on the Presidency, the Budget Office and all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to publish the complete details of the 106 palace projects, including their locations, beneficiaries, implementing agencies, procurement process and the constitutional justification for the expenditure.
“The national treasury is not a Bourdillon-based private vault, and the Appropriation Act is not a licence to suspend the Constitution. No government can claim to uphold the rule of law while appropriating public funds for projects it cannot constitutionally undertake and whose beneficiaries it refuses to identify,” he stated.