Atiku Abubakar Challenges Nigeria to Prosecute Him Over Power Scandal

Former Vice President and presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar challenged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to formally investigate and prosecute him regarding alleged $16 billion in power-sector expenditures during his tenure from 1999 to 2007. Abubakar denied any wrongdoing concerning the National Integrated Power Projects, asserting that he did not oversee their implementation and that previous National Assembly investigations never invited him to answer allegations. He characterized the revival of these claims as a politically motivated attempt to divert public attention from current economic hardships.

Simultaneously, a policy dispute emerged over Abubakar's proposal to reintroduce a targeted petrol subsidy to restore the purchasing power of Nigerians. The Presidency criticized the plan as an election gimmick, with Senior Special Assistant Otega Ogra claiming the policy would cost N19.1 trillion annually and primarily benefit billionaires. Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga accused Abubakar of policy confusion after conflicting statements from his aides regarding whether the subsidy would be temporary or tied to domestic refining capacity.

Abubakar's media office dismissed the cost estimates as propaganda, clarifying that the proposal is a production-linked intervention. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele reported that the government saved N15.8 trillion from the May 2023 subsidy removal and foreign exchange liberalization, though N9.39 trillion of those funds were utilized for wage adjustments and minimum wage increases through December 2025.