The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate removal of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an agency the Presidency has said does not exist.
In a statement, the opposition group described the allegations as a “massive corruption scandal” and urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend Gbajabiamila to allow for what it called “a full, unbiased investigation.”
The NDC questioned how the alleged agency was able to secure budgetary allocations, open a domiciliary account, a Pound Sterling account and a Treasury Single Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria despite the Presidency’s denial of its existence.
“The NDC finds it deeply troubling that an agency the Presidency claims does not exist could open multiple high-level financial accounts at the apex bank,” the statement said, asking, “How then was a fictitious agency able to open such accounts without the necessary documentation?”
The group also cited claims by Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi that he paid ₦600 million to secure his appointment, with ₦400 million allegedly paid through proxies to the Chief of Staff. It further referenced allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant, claims the Chief of Staff has denied.
Describing the allegations as pointing to “a disturbing pattern of institutionalised corruption,” the NDC said the administration had “entrenched and legitimised corruption as a way of governance in Nigeria.”
The party also called for an investigation into the death of Babatunde Tanimola, described as an intermediary in the matter, as well as alleged assassination attempts on Adeyemi.
It demanded witness protection for Adeyemi and urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to launch a full investigation.
“The NDC will not accept the usual tactic of issuing a mere defensive press release from the Presidency as a deflective ploy. Nigerians deserve to know the truth through a transparent process that promotes fairness and justice,” the statement added. It also insisted that “anyone found culpable in this sordid affair, no matter how highly placed, must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
