The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the immediate suspension of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to an alleged N400 million bribery scandal.
Atiku also raised concerns over the reported allocation of N27.4 billion in the 2026 budget to the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which he described as a non-existent government agency.
In a statement issued by the Atiku Media Office, the former Vice President urged President Tinubu to demonstrate his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability by allowing an independent investigation into the allegations and ensuring that no public official is shielded from scrutiny.
Atiku’s reaction followed allegations made by Adeniyi Adeyemi, who identified himself as the Director General of PFIPC and accused Gbajabiamila of involvement in an alleged N400 million bribery scheme.
According to Atiku, reports that the Chief of Staff had denied the existence of PFIPC only raised further questions regarding the integrity of the budget process.
“How can N27.4 billion be allocated in the national budget to an agency that reportedly does not exist?” Atiku queried, insisting that the issue goes beyond the bribery allegations and touches on broader questions of public accountability and fiscal transparency.
He argued that if the Chief of Staff’s position on the agency’s existence was accurate, it would cast serious doubts over the credibility of the 2026 budget and the processes leading to its approval.
The former Vice President called for Gbajabiamila’s temporary suspension to enable an independent investigation into the allegations and the controversial budget allocation.
According to him, transparency and accountability remain the foundation of good governance and should apply to all public officials regardless of their proximity to the President.
Meanwhile, the Arewa Youth Integrity Forum has come to the defence of Gbajabiamila, describing him as a man of integrity and accusing Atiku of political grandstanding ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its National President, Mohammed Aliyu, the group said Gbajabiamila’s public service record compares favourably with that of the former Vice President.
The group stated that while it supports investigations into any allegations of wrongdoing, Atiku lacked the moral authority to position himself as a champion of accountability.
AYIF further praised Gbajabiamila’s contributions to legislative reforms and governance, arguing that unproven allegations against serving public officials should not be weaponised for political purposes.
The development has added another layer to the growing political exchanges ahead of the 2027 elections, with calls mounting for greater transparency in public finance management and government accountability.
The NATIONS DIGEST reports that neither the Presidency nor Gbajabiamila had officially responded in detail to Atiku’s latest demand for suspension as of the time of filing this
He also served as Deputy Editor at Sahara Reporters Sports and worked as Content Manager for the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL), contributing significantly to sports journalism and digital content development in Nigeria.
Known for his strong storytelling ability and editorial expertise, Olayinka Olawole has covered a wide range of subjects, while also building a reputation in digital storytelling, audience engagement, and content optimisation for online and media platforms.
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