Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the National Assembly to immediately summon the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to appear together before its investigative committee over the PFIPC accounts scandal.
Atiku said both officials should testify under oath to provide Nigerians with what he described as “one truthful account” of the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) accounts. The former Vice President made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, following conflicting testimonies presented by the OAGF and the CBN before the House of Representatives.
According to Atiku, the differing explanations offered by the two government institutions have exposed serious inconsistencies that warrant a comprehensive legislative investigation. He argued that while one institution denied authorising the opening of the PFIPC accounts and alleged forgery, the other informed lawmakers that the accounts were opened based on directives from the Accountant-General after due process was followed.
“Both accounts cannot be true,” Atiku stated, describing the conflicting narratives as the beginning of what he called a cover-up.
The former Vice President said the PFIPC accounts scandal has plunged the Tinubu administration into one of the most significant credibility challenges of Nigeria’s democratic era. According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should clearly state which version of events his administration accepts and explain why no independent investigation has been ordered despite the contradictory testimonies.
He warned that continued silence could strengthen public suspicion that protecting the government’s image has become more important than uncovering the truth. Atiku further questioned why the President had not intervened despite the conflicting positions taken by two of the country’s key financial institutions.
Atiku also criticised the continued silence of the Attorney-General of the Federation, arguing that the lack of an official legal response has further complicated the controversy. He maintained that the absence of decisive action has deepened concerns about transparency and accountability within government.
The former Vice President argued that the PFIPC accounts scandal has evolved beyond a disagreement over financial records, saying it now reflects broader concerns about institutional oversight and public trust. He questioned how an individual could allegedly facilitate actions capable of producing contradictory accounts from two major federal institutions, suggesting the development raises wider concerns about governance and accountability.
Atiku insisted that President Tinubu should apologise to Nigerians over the controversy and immediately authorise what he described as a genuinely independent investigation capable of identifying and prosecuting anyone found culpable.
He argued that failure to restore public confidence would undermine the President’s moral authority to continue in office. The National Assembly has yet to announce whether it will act on Atiku’s request to jointly summon the Accountant-General of the Federation and the CBN Governor to testify before lawmakers regarding the PFIPC accounts scandal.
