Appointment Scandal: Why Gbajabiamila Should Be Sacked — Atiku’s Aide

Demola Olarenwaju, Senior Political Assistant to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the dismissal of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the controversy surrounding alleged fraudster Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.

Olarenwaju’s comments followed allegations by Matthew, who claimed to be the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, accusing Gbajabiamila of involvement in an alleged appointment-for-cash scheme.

Matthew alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded ₦27.4 billion from the take-off grant of the purported agency and received ₦400 million through proxies to facilitate his appointment as director-general.

The Presidency, however, dismissed the allegations in a statement issued on Wednesday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, describing both the claimant and the alleged agency as unknown to the Federal Government.

Reacting in a post on X, Olarenwaju argued that if Matthew was able to insert a fictitious agency into Nigeria’s budget without official connivance, then Gbajabiamila should be removed from office for negligence.

He further maintained that if investigations establish that the Chief of Staff collaborated with Matthew, he should face prosecution.

According to him, “By the watery presidential rebuttal, Gbajabiamila is either guilty of connivance or guilty of negligence – no two ways about it.

“If that fellow scammed himself into Nigeria’s budget, then Gbajabiamila must be sacked for negligence and lack of due diligence.

“If the fellow connived with him in the scam as we suspect by evidence, Gbaja should be prosecuted. Either ways: this Thief of Staff must be punished.”