Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has asked President Bola Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians and step down from office over the conflicting explanations from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, OAGF, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, regarding the disputed Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC, accounts.
In a statement released on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the disagreement between the two key financial institutions had exposed what he described as a serious credibility challenge facing the Tinubu administration.
The former vice president said the CBN’s explanation before the House of Representatives was at variance with the earlier position of the Accountant-General’s Office, which reportedly denied approving the opening of the accounts and raised allegations of forgery.
According to Atiku, the CBN informed lawmakers that the accounts were created based on instructions from the Accountant-General and followed the required procedures, arguing that the two claims could not both be accurate.
He said the contradiction between the nation’s top financial authorities had created concerns over transparency, accountability and trust in government.
“When two of your most sensitive financial and monetary institutions publicly contradict each other over the same transaction, it becomes clear that the administration is facing a serious credibility crisis,” Atiku stated.
Atiku challenged President Tinubu to clarify which account of events he accepted, saying the president’s continued silence and refusal to initiate what he described as an independent probe could deepen public doubts.
He questioned why the president had not taken action if he did not accept either of the explanations provided by the Accountant-General’s Office or the CBN.
The ADC presidential candidate also faulted the Attorney-General of the Federation for remaining silent on the issue, alleging that the lack of public response had created the impression that the government was focused more on controlling the political damage than addressing the facts.
He called on the National Assembly to invite the Accountant-General of the Federation and the CBN Governor to appear together before its investigative panel and provide explanations under oath on the circumstances surrounding the accounts.
Atiku said the controversy had moved beyond a disagreement over financial records, describing it as a major test of the administration’s commitment to integrity and effective governance.
He insisted that President Tinubu should apologise to Nigerians for what he called a breakdown in public accountability, adding that failure to restore confidence through an independent investigation and ensure accountability for those involved should lead to the president’s resignation.
The Presidency has not yet issued a response to Atiku’s comments.