Why Tinubu should be impeached – El-Rufai
Former Kaduna State Governor and ADC chieftain, Nasir El-Rufai, has launched a blistering critique against President Bola Tinubu, accusing the administration of unauthorized withdrawals from the Federation Account. Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, January 26, 2026, El-Rufai alleged that the President has been deducting N100 billion monthly without legislative approval.
El-Rufai claimed that these deductions have persisted for over 15 months, totaling N1.5 trillion in unappropriated funds. “Government data. I’m not quoting something out of the air,” he stated, emphasizing that because a portion of the Federation Account belongs to the states, such withdrawals bypass both the National Assembly and state legislatures.
The former governor described the alleged fiscal maneuver as a grave violation of the 1999 Constitution. “The entire deduction and expenditure is unconstitutional. It’s an impeachable offense, but it has been going on for more than 15 months from the last time I checked,” El-Rufai remarked, questioning the lack of transparency surrounding the funds.
During the interview, he linked the missing trillions to the nation’s deteriorating security situation, asking why the government continues to urge communities to defend themselves despite these massive expenditures. “Where has that 1.5 trillion gone? What is it being used for? Why is the security situation just getting worse?” he queried.
El-Rufai, who recently defected from the APC to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), expressed deep regret over the current state of the nation. He noted that if anyone had predicted in 2023 that the economic and security situation would reach this level, he would have considered them “mentally ill.”
The allegations have sparked immediate political debate, with the former governor insisting that the National Assembly must fulfill its oversight role. He warned that legislative silence on the matter would amount to tacit approval of executive recklessness and a breakdown of constitutional order.
The presidency has yet to issue an official response to these specific financial allegations, though government officials have previously dismissed El-Rufai’s critiques as politically motivated. As the 2027 election cycle approaches, these claims of “impeachable offenses” are likely to further strain the relationship between the former allies.
