Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians and resign over the unfolding PFIPC scandal, alleging that conflicting accounts from key government institutions have created a major crisis of credibility for the administration.
Atiku’s reaction followed differing testimonies reportedly presented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) regarding financial transactions linked to the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate argued that the conflicting explanations from the country’s financial institutions have raised serious concerns about accountability within the Federal Government.
According to Atiku, President Tinubu should take responsibility for what he described as a collapse in public accountability by apologising to Nigerians.
He further stated that if the President is unwilling to launch a genuinely independent investigation and ensure that those responsible are held accountable, he no longer possesses the moral authority to remain in office. Atiku maintained that stepping down would be the honourable response if public confidence cannot be restored.
Commenting further on the PFIPC scandal, the former Vice President said the contradictory positions taken by the CBN and the Office of the Accountant-General point to deeper governance concerns.
He argued that when two of Nigeria’s most critical financial institutions present different versions of the same transaction, it creates a serious credibility problem for the administration. According to him, President Tinubu cannot remain silent while government agencies publicly contradict one another over such a sensitive matter.
Atiku also challenged the President to clearly state which of the conflicting accounts he accepts as accurate. He warned that continued silence could reinforce public suspicion and undermine confidence in the government’s commitment to transparency. The former Vice President insisted that only a truly independent investigation would establish the facts and restore trust in public institutions.
As part of his recommendations, Atiku called on the National Assembly to immediately summon both the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant-General of the Federation to appear jointly before the relevant investigative committee. He said both officials should testify under oath to provide Nigerians with a clear and consistent account of the disputed transaction.
Atiku also criticised the Attorney-General of the Federation for not publicly addressing the controversy, arguing that the silence has further complicated the unfolding PFIPC scandal.
According to him, the controversy has evolved beyond questions surrounding disputed financial accounts and now raises broader issues about transparency, institutional oversight and the credibility of the Tinubu administration. He concluded that Nigerians deserve a full explanation of the events surrounding the PFIPC matter and called for greater accountability from all public officials involved.
