Atiku demands sacking of Gbajabiamila, gives reason

ADC Presidential Candidate Calls for Suspension of Chief of Staff Amid Bribery Allegations

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, in light of a N400 million bribery scandal.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Atiku argued that such a suspension is crucial to facilitate an independent investigation into the allegations and a related budgetary controversy.

The claims were initially presented by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. Prior to these allegations, Gbajabiamila had publicly stated that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council does not exist.

Atiku pointed out a discrepancy, noting that the federal government had allocated N27.4 billion to the same agency in the 2026 national budget, highlighting the potential credibility issues surrounding Gbajabiamila and questioning the integrity of the national budget.

He cautioned the presidency against dismissing what he described as a significant budgetary fraud, asserting that weak defenses would not suffice. Atiku called on President Tinubu to prioritize the rule of law over personal relationships and to ensure that his political appointees adhere to high standards of transparency.

“How can you allocate N27.4 billion in the budget to a government agency that doesn’t exist without leaving more questions than answers?” said Atiku. “Good governance is based on transparency and accountability, and that cannot be achieved by protecting family and friends.”

He emphasized that President Tinubu must lead by example by demanding the same accountability from his Chief of Staff as is expected of other public officials. “He must suspend him. N27 billion is not a joke,” Atiku added in his statement.

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