Atiku Gives Tinubu Seven-Day Ultimatum Over Audit Service Bill
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has given President Bola Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to either sign the Federal Audit Service Bill into law or formally communicate to the National Assembly his reasons for withholding assent, in line with constitutional provisions.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the president’s continued failure to act on the bill months after it was transmitted by the National Assembly amounts to a violation of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He argued that Section 58(4) requires the president to signify assent or withhold assent within 30 days of receiving any bill.
Atiku warned that continued inaction weakens democratic governance, public accountability, and respect for constitutional processes. He maintained that if the president fails to comply with the constitutional requirement within seven days, he should resign from office.
The former vice president said delaying action on the Federal Audit Service Bill, which seeks to strengthen the independence of the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, modernise Nigeria’s public audit system and improve oversight of public spending, sends the wrong signal at a time when Nigerians are demanding greater transparency and accountability.
He also linked the delay to what he described as a broader pattern of disregard for constitutional obligations by the current administration, warning that treating constitutional provisions as optional could weaken public institutions and encourage impunity.
Under Section 58(5) of the Constitution, where the president withholds assent to a bill, the National Assembly may override the decision by passing the bill again with a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Presidency had not responded to Atiku’s comments as of the time of filing this report.
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