Atiku Tells Tinubu to Apologise, Resign Over PFIPC Scandal

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians and resign over the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), following conflicting testimonies from two federal financial institutions.

Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for 2027, said in a statement on Wednesday that contradictory accounts given by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) have exposed a government caught in its own contradictions. The statement was issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

According to Atiku, the CBN’s testimony before the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the PFIPC directly conflicts with the position earlier presented by the OAGF, deepening what he described as one of the most serious credibility crises facing the Tinubu administration.

The CBN told the committee it opened two domiciliary accounts for the PFIPC on the instruction of the OAGF after due process was followed. The OAGF, however, has denied authorising the accounts and alleged forgery. Atiku said both positions cannot be true at once, and argued the discrepancy points to a cover-up.

“President Tinubu owes Nigerians an unreserved apology,” Atiku said, adding that the president risked losing the moral authority to remain in office if he failed to act.

He urged the National Assembly to summon the Accountant-General and the CBN Governor to appear together before the committee under oath, so that one consistent account could be established.

The PFIPC came under scrutiny after the Presidency disowned the body in late June, describing it as a fictitious entity with no legal backing. The council had featured in the 2026 Appropriation Act with an allocation of ₦1.3 billion. Its self-declared Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, was later arrested and arraigned on charges of forgery and impersonation. He has denied wrongdoing and separately accused Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila of demanding a share of the council’s take-off grant, an allegation Mr Gbajabiamila denies.

President Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter and report back within a month. Mr Gbajabiamila has since been questioned by the ICPC as part of the ongoing probe.

Efforts to reach the Presidency for comment on Atiku’s latest remarks were unsuccessful as of press time.
The House of Representatives committee’s investigation into the PFIPC is ongoing, with further hearings expected in the coming weeks.