Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, demanding that he either sign the Federal Audit Service Bill into law, formally veto it, or vacate the presidency. Atiku cited a clear constitutional violation, invoking Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires the President to assent or withhold assent within 30 days of receiving a bill.
Constitutional Command Ignored
In a statement released on Thursday, July 10, 2026, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that Tinubu had allowed the 30-day window to lapse without action. “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,” Atiku said.
The former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) stressed that the failure to act on the bill undermines institutional accountability. He linked the delay to the recent controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), suggesting both incidents reflect a pattern of weak institutional safeguards.
Audit Reform at Stake
Atiku described the Federal Audit Service Bill as critical legislation designed to modernise Nigeria’s public audit framework, bolster the independence of the Auditor-General’s office, and tighten oversight of government expenditure. He argued that allowing such a bill to languish signals deliberate hostility toward institutional reform at a time when Nigerians demand greater transparency in public finance management.
“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,” Atiku warned.
Direct Warning to Tinubu
Atiku framed his ultimatum in stark terms, insisting that executive authority does not grant a president the right to pick and choose which constitutional obligations to honour. “The same Constitution that confers enormous powers on the President also places clear obligations upon him. Executive authority is not a licence for constitutional indifference. A President who expects citizens to obey the law must himself be the foremost example of obedience to the Constitution,” he said.
He called on Tinubu to either assent to the bill, formally communicate his reasons for withholding assent to the National Assembly and the public, or voluntarily quit office within seven days. “Nigerians deserve clarity, not silence. The Constitution neither authorises executive inaction nor contemplates indefinite presidential delay,” Atiku added.
Background and Previous Criticism
Atiku has previously criticised the Tinubu administration over the PFIPC affair, calling for an independent inquiry into the scandal and arguing that the government’s own oversight body, the ICPC, cannot credibly investigate the presidency. The ultimatum comes amid growing political tension ahead of the 2027 elections.
Earlier reports indicated that Atiku accused “anti-democratic elements” of attempting to create confusion and dampen the momentum of the ADC. According to a statement by Atiku’s media office, the former vice president said insinuations that he had quit active politics were fake news.
