Atiku dares Tinubu to investigate him over $16bn power spending

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to investigate and prosecute him if it possesses evidence of wrongdoing related to the alleged 16 billion power sector expenditure during his tenure. In a statement released on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, accused the government of resurrecting decades-old allegations as a diversion from pressing questions about the management of revenues from petrol subsidy removal.

Atiku stated that the renewed focus on power projects, privatization, and public assets was an attempt to shift public attention from economic hardships. He emphasized that the National Assembly had previously investigated the power projects and he was never invited to answer any allegation of wrongdoing. While acknowledging he chaired the National Council on Privatisation as Vice President, Atiku maintained he did not oversee the implementation of the power project, which was handled by the responsible minister. He extended the same denial to the Aluminium Smelter matter.

"If there is evidence that I stole public money, why has no government produced it...