By Lizzy Chirkpi
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately sign the Federal Audit Service Bill into law or resign, accusing him of violating the Constitution by failing to act on the legislation within the prescribed period.
Atiku made the demand in a statement issued on Friday by his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, arguing that the President’s delay in assenting to the bill months after its passage by the National Assembly undermines constitutional governance, institutional accountability and the rule of law.
Citing Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Atiku said the President is required to either assent to or withhold assent to any bill presented to him within 30 days.
According to him, “Where a bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall within thirty days thereof, signify that he assents or that he withholds assent.”
He added: “That provision is neither decorative nor discretionary. It is a constitutional command. The framers of our Constitution never envisaged a president who would simply sit on legislation indefinitely while governance drifts without certainty or accountability.”
The former vice president said the Federal Audit Service Bill is designed to strengthen the independence of the Auditor-General, modernise Nigeria’s public audit system and improve oversight of public expenditure.
He argued that delaying assent to the bill weakens efforts to promote transparency and accountability at a time when Nigerians are demanding greater scrutiny of government finances.
Atiku also linked the delay to broader concerns about governance, citing the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and reports of unaccounted public expenditure.
“Every major scandal begins with a smaller act of institutional neglect. It begins when constitutional provisions are treated as optional, when oversight institutions are weakened and when those entrusted with enforcing the law become comfortable operating outside its clear boundaries,” he said.
On the PFIPC controversy, Atiku stated, “That is why the recent controversy surrounding the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) should not be viewed merely as an isolated episode. Whatever conclusions ongoing investigations or official processes may ultimately reach, the controversy exposed the dangers that arise when institutional safeguards are weak, official narratives conflict and public confidence in governance is allowed to deteriorate.”
The statement comes amid continued public debate over reports of alleged unaccounted government expenditure and renewed calls for greater transparency in public financial management.
The Presidency had not responded to Atiku’s claims as of the time of filing this report.