Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, 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 order an independent investigation into the matter.
Reacting to allegations made by the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, Atiku said President Tinubu must demonstrate his commitment to transparency by holding his top aides accountable.
In a statement made available to The News Chronicle, the former vice president questioned Gbajabiamila’s reported claim that the PFIPC does not exist, arguing that the explanation only deepens concerns surrounding the controversy.
“If the agency truly does not exist, how did it receive a N27.4 billion allocation in the 2026 budget?” Atiku asked, insisting that the claim raises serious questions about the credibility of the national budget.
According to him, allocating billions of naira to a non-existent agency amounts to a grave budgetary irregularity that cannot be dismissed with what he described as “weak and unconvincing explanations.”
Atiku argued that the allegations demand a thorough, independent probe to establish the facts, stressing that public confidence in government institutions depends on accountability.
He urged President Tinubu to suspend the Chief of Staff pending the outcome of investigations, saying no public official should be shielded from scrutiny.
“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,” Atiku said.
