ABUJA — Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has ignited a fresh constitutional crisis following allegations that President Bola Tinubu has been unlawfully withdrawing ₦100 billion every month from the Federation Account without legislative approval or constitutional backing.
Speaking during a high-profile interview on Arise News on Sunday, January 25, 2026, El-Rufai asserted that these unauthorized deductions have persisted for over 15 months, totaling a staggering ₦1.5 trillion. The former governor, once a close ally of the President, characterized the act as a grave violation of the 1999 Constitution and a direct assault on the fiscal sovereignty of the three tiers of government.
“Every month, President Bola Tinubu deducts ₦100 billion from the Federation Account. This is unconstitutional and, under our laws, it is an impeachable offence,” El-Rufai declared. He argued that the President lacks the unilateral authority to divert funds from the Federation Account, which belongs to the Federal, State, and Local Governments, without an Act of the National Assembly or an express constitutional provision.
El-Rufai’s allegations come at a time of heightened economic tension and growing friction between the Presidency and several prominent Northern leaders. The former governor suggested that the missing funds are being utilized for “extra-budgetary purposes” that remain opaque to the public and the legislature, further worsening the nation’s transparency rating.
The accusation has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, with legal experts noting that if proven, the unauthorized diversion of federation funds would constitute “gross misconduct,” the primary constitutional ground for impeachment. Opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly have already begun calling for a forensic audit of the Federation Account to verify the claims.
This development marks the latest escalation in El-Rufai’s increasingly vocal opposition to the Tinubu administration. Since being denied a ministerial slot in 2023, the former governor has consistently criticized the government’s economic and security policies, recently aligning himself with an emerging “Third Force” coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As of Sunday morning, the Presidency has not issued a formal rebuttal to the specific figures cited by El-Rufai. However, sources within the Ministry of Finance have previously defended various “special interventions” as necessary for national stabilization, though they have not addressed the legality of the reported monthly ₦100 billion deductions. Political analysts suggest that these revelations could trigger a significant legislative probe as the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum.
