Atiku faults FG over ₦1.08tn allocation to cooperative college

Former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has criticized the Federal Government's allocation of ₦1.08tn to the Federal Cooperative College in the 2026 budget. This decision, as revealed by civic technology organisation Tracka, has been deemed a "blueprint to defraud Nigerians." Tracka's budget analysis highlighted the allocation of funds for 2,791 projects across the nation's states and the FCT.

Atiku commended Tracka for exposing what he saw as an example of budget distortion under the current administration, contradicting the government's claims of fiscal discipline. He questioned the rationale behind assigning such a vast budget to an institution primarily focused on cooperative education. The statement questioned the legal basis for the project assignments and criticized the administration's narrative of responsible economic management.

Atiku demanded answers regarding the transformation of the college into a major implementing agency for thousands of projects and the supervision of these initiatives. The controversy echoes previous criticism of the use of agencies with limited mandates for projects outside their statutory responsibilities.