Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called for the immediate suspension of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to a N400 million bribery scandal.
This was as he raised fresh concerns over the allocation of N27.4 billion to what he described as a “non-existent” government agency.
Atiku was reacting to claims made by one Adeniyi Adeyemi, a self-appointed Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), who accused the chief of staff of involvement in an alleged N400 million bribery scandal.
In a statement released yesterday by his media office, the former Vice President urged Tinubu to show commitment to accountability by allowing an independent investigation into the allegations involving Gbajabiamila and ensuring that no public official was shielded from scrutiny.
He stated that Gbajabiamila’s reported claim that PFIPC did not exist had only deepened public concerns rather than addressing them.
According to Atiku, the explanation raises a more troubling question about the integrity of the 2026 national budget.
“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 asked.
He maintained that if the chief of staff’s position was correct, it would cast doubt on the credibility of the budget process.
The former vice president stated that the alleged discrepancy could not be dismissed through weak and unconvincing explanations.
He said the controversy had gone beyond the bribery allegation and stated that the reported allocation of N27.4 billion to an agency allegedly described as non-existent amounted to a serious issue of public accountability that deserved thorough investigation.
Atiku said the alleged budgetary irregularity should not be swept under the carpet, stressing that transparency and accountability remain the cornerstone of good governance.
He recommended the immediate suspension of Gbajabiamila to pave the way for an independent probe into what he described as a national scandal.
Atiku said, “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.
“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.”
