Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has raised concerns over an unauthorised payment into one of his private bank accounts, questioning how the account details were obtained.
In a statement issued on Friday, August 7, 2026, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the unidentified sender transferred money into an account he maintains strictly for private purposes.
Transaction Raises Questions
According to the statement, the payment carried the narration “Contribution Electioneering Campaign”, despite Atiku and his campaign team having no knowledge of or dealings with the sender.
“Neither His Excellency nor his campaign solicited, authorised or has any knowledge of the individual or entity behind the unauthorised payment,” the statement said.
Atiku’s camp described the development as troubling because the account details are not publicly available.
Atiku Questions Banking Privacy
The former vice president questioned how an unknown person or entity obtained confidential information linked to his account.
“This raises a fundamental question: How did unknown persons obtain the confidential banking details of a private citizen?” Atiku asked.
He warned that if the banking information of a former vice president and presidential candidate could be accessed and used without his knowledge, the incident could raise wider concerns about the financial privacy of Nigerians.
Security Agencies Notified
Atiku’s camp said security agencies had been notified about the transaction and the circumstances surrounding it.
The statement also raised the possibility that the account details could have been obtained through individuals with privileged access. It warned that such access, if established, could expose the account holder to criminal threats, including kidnappers, terrorists, bandits and fraudsters.
No amount was disclosed, and the identity of the sender has not been made public.
Atiku Links Incident to 2027 Politics
The former vice president’s team described the incident as part of a series of suspicious activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku urged Nigerians not to be distracted by what he described as attempts at character assassination, saying such tactics had failed in the past and would fail again.
He maintained that his focus remains on providing what he described as credible leadership and practical solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
Security agencies had not publicly commented on the alleged unauthorised payment as of the time of filing this report.
