Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations of a ₦400 million bribery scandal, insisting that the controversy has exposed serious credibility questions surrounding the 2026 national budget.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Atiku Media Office, the former Vice President said President Tinubu must demonstrate his commitment to transparency and accountability by allowing an independent investigation into the allegations made against the Chief of Staff by the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
Atiku argued that Gbajabiamila’s reported defence—that the PFIPC does not exist—had only deepened public concerns instead of resolving them.
According to him, “how can you allocate ₦27.4 billion in the budget to a government agency that doesn’t exist without leaving more questions than answers.”
The ADC presidential flag bearer maintained that such a claim raises serious questions about the integrity of the 2026 Appropriation Act and cannot be dismissed with what he described as unconvincing explanations.
He said the Chief of Staff’s response had created an even bigger credibility crisis for the Tinubu administration.
According to Atiku, allocating ₦27.4 billion to an agency allegedly acknowledged as non-existent calls into question the credibility of the entire national budget and demands urgent scrutiny.
The former Vice President described the matter as an alleged case of colossal budgetary fraud that should not be swept under the carpet, insisting that only an independent investigation can establish the truth.
He urged President Tinubu to suspend Gbajabiamila pending the outcome of a transparent probe, warning that failure to act would undermine public confidence in the administration’s anti-corruption posture.
“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. ₦27 billion is not a joke. The rule of law must prevail in this issue. Let President Tinubu prove to Nigerians that he is sincerely committed to accountability in his administration,” Atiku said.
The former Vice President stressed that indifference was not an option in a matter involving billions of naira in public funds, urging the Federal Government to ensure that the allegations are thoroughly investigated in the interest of accountability and good governance.
