ATIKU DEMANDS ACTION ON AUDIT BILL, THREATENS RESIGNATION CALL
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By: Fasasi Hammad
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, demanding that he fulfil what he described as a constitutional duty by either signing the Federal Audit Service Bill into law or formally informing the National Assembly of his reasons for withholding assent.
Atiku warned that if the president fails to act within the stipulated period, he should step down from office.
In a statement released on Friday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused Tinubu of breaching the 1999 Constitution (as amended) by not taking action on the bill within the timeframe required by law. He argued that the prolonged delay weakens democratic governance and undermines public accountability.
According to Atiku, the president’s failure to either approve or reject the legislation months after it was forwarded by the National Assembly amounts to a disregard for constitutional provisions.
“Nigerians deserve clarity, not silence,” the statement said, stressing that the Constitution does not permit indefinite presidential inaction on legislation.
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Referencing Section 58(4) of the Constitution, Atiku noted that the president is mandated to indicate assent or withhold assent to any bill within 30 days of receiving it.
“That provision is neither symbolic nor optional. It is a constitutional requirement,” he stated, adding that the Constitution did not envisage a situation where a president would indefinitely delay action on legislation.
The Federal Audit Service Bill is designed to strengthen the independence of the Auditor-General’s Office, modernise Nigeria’s public audit framework and improve oversight of government spending.
Atiku argued that delaying a bill aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability sends the wrong message at a time when Nigerians are demanding stronger institutions and prudent management of public resources.
He further claimed that the president’s inaction reflects a wider pattern of disregard for constitutional provisions by the current administration.
The former vice president also cited the controversy surrounding the proposed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, saying it demonstrated the dangers of weak institutional safeguards and inconsistent government communication.
Atiku maintained that constitutional democracy cannot thrive when leaders selectively comply with the law, stressing that the same Constitution that grants powers to the president also imposes clear obligations on the office.
Under Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, the president is required to assent to or withhold assent from a bill within 30 days of receiving it. If assent is withheld, Section 58(5) allows the National Assembly to override the decision with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.
The Presidency had yet to respond to Atiku’s remarks at the time of filing the report.
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