Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has tackled President Bola Tinubu over the alleged allocation of ₦22.15 billion in the proposed 2026 budget for the construction and renovation of 106 palaces across Nigeria.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said:

“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.”

“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?”

“The constitutional position is unmistakable. The 1999 Constitution did not establish, fund or assign any executive responsibility over traditional institutions to the Federal Government.”

“Indeed, its only reference to traditional institutions is in the Third Schedule, Part II, where it merely permits states to establish a Council of Chiefs to advise their governors on chieftaincy and customary law matters.”