By Precious Mark
Atiku Abubakar, the Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend his Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, over an alleged N400 million bribery scandal and budgetary fraud.
The controversy stems from allegations leveled against Gbajabiamila by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the estranged Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Reacting to the development via a statement issued by Atiku Media Office on Tuesday, Atiku knocked the Chief of Staff’s defense that the PFIPC is a non-existent agency, arguing that the explanation has only exposed massive credibility gaps within the administration.
“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 queried, adding that the development casts a dark shadow over the integrity of the entire 2026 national budget.
The opposition leader maintained that a “colossal budgetary fraud” of such magnitude cannot be swept under the carpet with weak denials.
He urged President Tinubu to demonstrate genuine commitment to anti-corruption by holding his top aides to the same standards of accountability as other public officials.
“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. N27 billion is not a joke. The rule of law must prevail in this issue,” Atiku stated.
The former Vice President demanded that an independent panel be set up to investigate the allegations thoroughly, insisting that the Chief of Staff must step aside while the probe is carried out to ensure transparency.