The Arewa Think Tank has described calls by opposition groups for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign over the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) accounts as premature. Convener of the group, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said due process must be allowed to take its course before conclusions are drawn. Yakubu noted that both the National Assembly and the judiciary are already investigating the matter, stressing that political leaders should exercise restraint. “The opposition is saying Tinubu should step down. I think it’s premature. The case is in court, while the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives, is investigating the matter. Why don’t we wait for the outcome?” he said. The controversy stems from conflicting explanations by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regarding the PFIPC accounts. While the OAGF reportedly denied authorising the accounts and alleged forgery, the CBN told lawmakers that the accounts were opened based on directives from the Accountant-General after due process was followed. Opposition leaders argue that the discrepancies undermine public confidence and have demanded Tinubu’s resignation if he cannot restore trust in his administration. Yakubu, however, insisted that resignation demands were unwarranted and uncalled for at this stage. He urged Nigerians to allow relevant institutions to establish the facts rather than making political pronouncements that could prejudice ongoing investigations. Commenting on security, Yakubu welcomed the reported commendation by the United States President Donald Trump of Tinubu’s leadership in combating terrorism. He described the endorsement as proof of growing international confidence in Nigeria’s security efforts. He highlighted the strengthening of Nigeria-US security partnerships in intelligence sharing, military training, and joint counter-terrorism operations, particularly in the Lake Chad region. According to him, these collaborations are yielding positive results and enhancing Nigeria’s capacity to defeat terrorist groups. Yakubu urged Nigerians to continue supporting the Tinubu administration and security agencies, stressing that defeating terrorism requires unity and sustained cooperation.
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