The presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of 2027 poll, Atiku Abubakar, has called for an independent investigation into fresh corruption allegations against President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Penpushing reports that Atiku in a statement issued and shared by his Media Office Paul Ibe on X on Tuesday emphasized that the allegations that Gbajabiamila illegally diverted oil and gas royalties from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission through a purportedly unlawful presidential approval were too serious to be ignored.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate insisted that public officials should be held accountable regardless of their position, stressing that the matter transcends politics and should be addressed in the interest of accountability.
Penpushing further reports that Atiku, former vice president equally accused the Nigerian Government of applying different standards in its anti-corruption campaign, arguing that the Chief of Staff should be subjected to the same standards as other public officials facing corruption allegations.
“This issue goes beyond partisan politics; it’s about the impunity of corruption that undermines the welfare and future of ordinary Nigerians. This level of corruption is unprecedented, and the government can’t pretend to be prosecuting opposition figures for corruption, while corruption is growing like weeds under its own nose,” he said.
“You can’t preach the rule of law when your own officials are awarded with the trophy of untouchability. Gbajabiamila must be held accountable like every other public official and independently investigated to give him a full opportunity to defend himself against the brazen act of corruption as detailed in the Gazette report’, Atiku added
Penpushing also reports that he cited the suspension of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, under the Muhammadu Buhari administration as a precedent.
“Former President Buhari suspended his SGF, Babachir Lawal, from office to allow for an unfettered investigation, and Gbajabiamila shouldn’t be treated differently,” he said.
Penpushing reports that Atiku in similar vein, alleged that the Tinubu administration had failed to respond adequately to allegations involving senior government officials.
“Given the apathetic and lackadaisical attitude of the Tinubu administration to the gale of corruption scandals against the Chief of Staff, it’s apparent that the government is just going through the motions to fool Nigerians’, he said.
“Democracy is public service, and when political office holders prioritise the amassing of personal wealth while ordinary people are dying of hunger and preventable diseases, the Tinubu administration cannot pretend to be serving the people’, Aiku added
Penpushing further reports that Gbajabiamila has, however, not publicly commented on the allegations contained in the Peoples Gazette report, and the claims have not been independently verified.
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