ABUJA, Nigeria — 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, and order an independent investigation into fresh allegations that he received N400 million through a proxy to facilitate a government appointment.
Atiku made the demand in a statement on Tuesday following allegations by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claimed to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). Adeyemi alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 percent of the council’s N27.4 billion take-off grant and collected N400 million through intermediaries to secure his appointment, with an outstanding balance of N200 million.
“How can you allocate N27.4 billion in the budget to a government agency that doesn’t exist without leaving more questions than answers?” Atiku said, questioning the credibility of the entire 2026 national budget.
The former vice president argued that Gbajabiamila’s claim that the PFIPC did not exist only widened the government’s credibility gap. “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,” he stated.
However, the Presidency has dismissed the allegations, describing Adeyemi as an impostor under prosecution for forgery and impersonation. In a statement, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said security agencies had been investigating Adeyemi since October 2025 after Gbajabiamila petitioned the DSS and police over forged appointment letters.
The Presidency disclosed that Adeyemi and two others had been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on an eight-count charge of forgery and impersonation, with the case adjourned until July 27, 2026. It urged politicians to await the court’s judgment rather than relying on Adeyemi’s claims.
The controversy has deepened with reports that N1.3 billion was allegedly appropriated to the PFIPC in the 2026 budget, despite the Presidency’s denial of the agency’s existence. Atiku criticised the National Assembly for failing to detect the anomaly, accusing lawmakers of legislative abdication.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress has also called for Gbajabiamila’s sack, while Adeyemi has demanded an independent panel, arguing that “government can’t probe government.” The ICPC has since been directed to investigate the matter.
