Media personality Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze, and journalist Fegiro Johnson have urged Nigerians to focus on evidence rather than emotions in discussing the bribery allegations against the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Their comments come as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) continues investigating claims by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who alleged that Gbajabiamila received a ₦400 million bribe in connection with the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an organisation the Presidency has described as non-existent and lacking legal backing.
In a video circulating on social media, Daddy Freeze questioned the credibility of the allegations, referring to reports that Adeyemi admitted he never met Gbajabiamila personally and dealt only with an alleged intermediary, Babatunde Tanmola.
He argued that allegations involving such a substantial amount should be backed by verifiable evidence, including bank transfer records, text messages, call logs or other documentation.
“How do you accuse someone of collecting ₦400 million from you when you admit you’ve never met the person?” Daddy Freeze asked.
He added that even ordinary financial transactions are usually supported by receipts or communication records, making it difficult to accept such a claim without documentary proof.
Daddy Freeze, however, stressed that he was not defending the Chief of Staff or taking sides politically but was advocating for an evidence-based approach.
According to him, photographs with public officials cannot be treated as proof of financial transactions, urging Nigerians to allow investigators to establish the facts before drawing conclusions.
Echoing a similar view, journalist Fegiro Johnson called on Nigerians to distinguish facts from emotions, warning that allegations against public officials should be assessed on the strength of available evidence.
In a post on X, Johnson said dissatisfaction with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or President Bola Tinubu’s administration should not replace objective scrutiny of claims.
He questioned how an alleged ₦400 million payment could have been made without receipts, bank transfer records, screenshots, chats or any other documentary evidence.
Johnson also claimed that the appointment letter cited in the controversy neither bore Gbajabiamila’s signature nor originated from his office.
Their comments have sparked renewed debate on social media, with supporters and critics of the Chief of Staff sharply divided over whether the allegations have been sufficiently substantiated.
Gbajabiamila has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that he never met Adeyemi, never authorised anyone to receive money on his behalf and had no knowledge of the alleged intermediary or the purported transactions. The ICPC is yet to conclude its investigation into the matter.
