Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Wednesday declared that President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the National Assembly had failed what he described as Nigeria’s accountability test, citing the controversy surrounding the 2026 Appropriation Act.
In a strongly worded statement, Frank alleged that reports of inflated budgetary allocations, fictitious projects and questionable expenditures had further undermined public confidence in the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency, fiscal discipline and responsible management of public resources.
According to him, the budget controversy has become a defining measure of the administration’s commitment to accountability, insisting that the handling of the 2026 fiscal plan has reinforced public concerns about governance and oversight.
“The recent revelations and controversy surrounding the 2026 Federal Budget have further reinforced the widespread perception that this administration represents one of the most troubling governments in Nigeria’s recent history,” Frank said.
He further alleged that repeated claims of inflated allocations and questionable expenditures had cast doubt on the government’s stewardship of public funds, accusing the administration of failing to ensure that officials implicated in alleged wrongdoing are held accountable.
Frank also turned his criticism on the 10th National Assembly, accusing it of falling short of its constitutional responsibility to scrutinise executive actions and safeguard the public interest.
He specifically faulted the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging that the legislature had become overly accommodating to the Executive instead of serving as an independent institution capable of enforcing accountability.
“Rather than serving as an independent institution responsible for holding the Executive accountable, the National Assembly is widely viewed as having abandoned its constitutional responsibility by acting in a manner that appears overly accommodating to the Executive. Such perceptions weaken democratic institutions and undermine constitutional governance,” he stated.
The former APC spokesman urged Nigeria’s international development partners to subject future loans, grants and development assistance to stricter transparency, accountability and monitoring mechanisms, arguing that such safeguards would help ensure that public resources directly benefit citizens.
He welcomed discussions in the United States Congress on reviewing assistance to Nigeria, saying increased scrutiny by development partners would strengthen accountability in the management of public funds.
In one of the most controversial aspects of his statement, Frank drew a comparison between the current administration and internet fraudsters, alleging that while so-called “Yahoo Boys” defraud foreign victims, critics accuse the government of failing to protect Nigeria’s commonwealth through prudent governance and responsible fiscal management.
Despite his criticism, Frank urged Nigerians to remain peaceful and continue to demand accountability through constitutional and democratic means.
“The future of our nation depends on citizens demanding accountability, defending democratic institutions and exercising their constitutional right to vote for leaders they believe will restore integrity, competence and genuine public service to government,” he said.
The Presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly have consistently denied allegations of corruption and maintained that the budget process complies with constitutional provisions and established financial regulations.