By Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, August 27, 2026
ABUJA — Former Vice President and 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called out the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government, demanding full transparency and an immediate public disclosure of the beneficiary register for the Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme.
Atiku pledged to block any attempt by the administration to shroud the disbursement of the recently announced N25,000 monthly cash transfers to 5 million households in secrecy.
In a fierce reaction released Thursday night through his Senior Special Assistant on Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the veteran politician insisted that the details of how the public funds are being allocated and disbursed must be made available for all Nigerians to see.
Atiku stressed that operating social intervention schemes without full public accountability is unacceptable, particularly as citizens grapple with rising living costs.
”At a time when Nigerians are groaning under the weight of unprecedented economic hardship, transparency and accountability in the administration of social intervention programs are more critical than ever,” Atiku declared.
The ADC flagbearer queried the sudden shift in the scale of the palliative scheme, pointing out that the government had initially pledged to distribute N25,000 monthly to 15 million households over a three-month period.
”The government initially announced that it would pay N25,000 to 15 million households for three months. But suddenly, it was reduced to 5 million households without clear explanation,” he noted, calling the reduction suspicious.
Key Questions Raised by the Opposition Leader
Raising serious concerns over the execution of the program, Atiku questioned the criteria used in compiling the beneficiary database, warning that a lack of openness suggests systemic foul play:
Selection Process: How were the 5 million households selected?
Public Visibility: Where is the comprehensive national social register containing the list of beneficiaries?
Oversight: Who is actively monitoring the disbursement process to ensure funds reach the intended targets?
The former Vice President warned that failure by the Federal Government to provide a clear, verifiable, and publicly accessible audit trail would only confirm growing public suspicions that the funds intended to cushion poverty are being diverted.
The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program was originally conceptualized as part of the Federal Government’s post-fuel subsidy palliatives. Flagged off to cushion the immediate shocks of fuel subsidy removal and economic reforms, the initiative was targeted at the country’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens.
However, social safety net programs in Nigeria have faced scrutiny over issues related to transparency, data verification, and execution delays.
Years after the initial palliative promises were made following subsidy adjustments, many Nigerians across various regions report never receiving any direct financial assistance from government intervention schemes.
The recent scaling down of target households, combined with lingering questions about the National Social Register, has re-ignited intense debate between opposition parties and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration over fiscal transparency and election-year social spending.