Atiku asks Tinubu to resign over central bank, accountant general’s conflicting accounts on PFIPC

Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, has called on President Bola Tinubu to resign, saying conflicting accounts by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) accounts have plunged the administration into a major credibility crisis.

In a statement by Phrank Shaibu, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Atiku said testimony presented by the CBN before the House of Representatives directly contradicted the earlier position of the Accountant-General’s Office, exposing what he described as deep inconsistencies within the government.

BusinessDay reports that the PFIPC controversy erupted after reports alleged that the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council maintained multiple bank accounts outside the Treasury Single Account (TSA) framework.

The allegations prompted an investigation by the House of Representatives amid concerns over transparency, accountability and possible violations of public finance regulations.

The dispute deepened when the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) denied approving the accounts and claimed documents linking it to them were forged. However, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while appearing before the House committee, said the accounts were opened following a directive from the Accountant-General and in line with established procedures.

The contradictory explanations have fuelled demands for a comprehensive investigation and heightened political pressure on the Tinubu administration.

Read also: Atiku’s US lobbyist forwards Tinubu’s forfeiture case records to Trump, Congress

Atiku said while one institution denied authorising the opening of the PFIPC accounts and alleged forgery, another told lawmakers that the accounts were opened on the directive of the Accountant-General after due process was followed.

“At least one of the two institutions is not telling Nigerians the truth, and both accounts cannot stand together,” Atiku said.

The former vice president argued that the public contradiction between two of the country’s most critical financial institutions had left the Tinubu administration trapped in a crisis of credibility, insisting that the president could no longer remain silent.

He challenged Tinubu to state whether he believed the version presented by the Accountant-General or that of the CBN, warning that every delay in ordering an independent investigation would further fuel public suspicion that the administration was more interested in damage control than uncovering the truth.

Atiku also criticised the silence of Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney-General of the Federation, saying it had worsened concerns about the government’s commitment to accountability.

He urged the National Assembly to summon both the Accountant-General and the CBN governor to appear together under oath before its investigative committee to provide a single, truthful account of the transactions.

Describing the controversy as a referendum on Tinubu’s integrity and competence, Atiku said the president owed Nigerians an apology and should step down if he could not restore public confidence through a credible and independent investigation.