Service-wide Vote: Atiku haunted by ghost of his sordid past – APC 

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his allegation that the 2026 Service-Wide Vote (SWV) was designed to bankroll President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party described Atiku’s allegation as “highly mischievous” and evidence of a “disturbing ignorance of basic principles of public finance,” insisting that the Service-Wide Vote is a legitimate and long-established budgetary provision used to meet government-wide obligations and unforeseen expenditures.

The APC accused the former vice president of making serious allegations without presenting any evidence and alleged that his comments were aimed at misleading Nigerians and diverting attention from what it described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration.

“His recent allegation that the 2026 budgetary Service-Wide Vote was set aside to fund President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign is either highly mischievous or shows disturbing ignorance of basic principles of public finance,” Morka said.

The party maintained that the Service-Wide Vote is a recognised fiscal instrument employed in Nigeria and other democracies to accommodate contingency spending after the passage of the annual budget.

It rejected Atiku’s claim that the vote constituted a secret fund, saying such an interpretation reflected either a misunderstanding or deliberate distortion of public finance processes.

“A Service-Wide Vote is not a secret fund or an illegal slush account, as Atiku has baselessly and recklessly alleged,” the APC spokesman stated.

The ruling party also launched a personal attack on the former vice president, alleging that his criticisms were influenced by what it described as “the ghost of his sordid past.”

“The ghost of his sordid past haunts Atiku,” Morka said, accusing the former vice president of attempting to lecture Nigerians on fiscal responsibility despite what the APC described as his controversial record in public office.

The statement further accused Atiku of failing to present a clear agenda for Nigeria despite repeatedly contesting the presidency.

“As a serial presidential contestant, Atiku has never once articulated a clear vision or coherent plan for Nigeria’s development but has remained a petty peddler of fake news and doomsday narratives,” the APC said.

Defending the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, the ruling party listed several flagship programmes which it said demonstrated prudent management of public resources. These include the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the implementation of the new national minimum wage, the Consumer Credit Scheme, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative, expanded investments in infrastructure, healthcare and agriculture, as well as ongoing tax reforms.

According to the APC, the administration remains focused on implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda through economic reforms, institutional strengthening and infrastructure development.

“President Tinubu’s administration has continued to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and justify the use of public resources through landmark interventions,” Morka said.

The latest exchange follows Atiku’s criticism of the 2026 budget, in which he alleged that the Service-Wide Vote could be deployed to finance President Tinubu’s expected re-election bid in 2027. The APC, however, dismissed the allegation as baseless and politically motivated, insisting that the government remains committed to transparency, fiscal discipline and delivering economic reforms for Nigerians.