Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations of a N400 million bribery scandal and questions surrounding a N27.4 billion budget allocation.
Atiku made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Media Office, saying President Tinubu must demonstrate his commitment to transparency and accountability by allowing an independent investigation into the allegations.
The former vice president was reacting to claims made by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), against Gbajabiamila.
He said the Chief of Staff’s reported assertion that the PFIPC does not exist had only raised further concerns about the N27.4 billion allocation.
According to Atiku, “How can you allocate N27.4 billion in the budget to a government agency that doesn’t exist without leaving more questions than answers?”
He argued that the explanation attributed to Gbajabiamila had created fresh credibility issues for the Federal Government and cast doubt on the integrity of the 2026 national budget.
“The Chief of Staff’s claim only created more problems for the government,” Atiku said.
He added that allocating N27.4 billion to an agency allegedly described as non-existent “puts question marks on the credibility of the entire 2026 national budget.”
Atiku described the allegations as too serious to be dismissed, saying they involved possible budgetary irregularities that required an independent investigation.
He maintained that the alleged fraud “cannot be swept under the carpet by weak and unconvincing explanations by the Chief of Staff.”
The former vice president urged President Tinubu to suspend Gbajabiamila pending the outcome of an independent probe.
“Good governance is based on transparency and accountability and you can’t achieve that by protecting your family and friends. President Tinubu must lead by example by holding his Chief of Staff to the same standards of accountability as other public officials,” he said.
Atiku further stressed that the amount involved warranted close scrutiny.
“N27 billion is not a joke. The rule of law must prevail in this issue. Let President Tinubu prove to Nigerians that he is sincerely committed to accountability in his administration,” he added.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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