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ABUJA, NIGERIA – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a stark ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, demanding the immediate suspension of Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila over an alleged N27.4 billion budget fraud, warning that presidential “indifference” to the scandal would signal a catastrophic failure of governance.

In a statement released by his media office on Tuesday, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) tore into the administration’s defense of the embattled Chief of Staff. The controversy stems from allegations by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), who accused Gbajabiamila of demanding a N400 million bribe.

However, the former Vice President pivoted to a more explosive detail: the existence or lack thereof, of the PFIPC itself.

“How can you allocate N27.4 billion in the national budget to a government agency that doesn’t exist without leaving more questions than answers?” Atiku queried. He argued that Gbajabiamila’s defense that the agency is fictitious has only deepened the credibility crisis facing the Presidency.

Atiku warned that this alleged “colossal budgetary fraud” casts a shadow over the integrity of the entire 2026 Appropriation Act. He dismissed the Chief of Staff’s explanations as “weak and unconvincing,” insisting that the matter is too grave for the administration to treat with levity.

“Good governance is based on transparency and accountability, and you can’t achieve that by protecting your family and friends,” Atiku stated. “President Tinubu must lead by example by holding his Chief of Staff to the same standards of accountability as other public officials. N27 billion is not a joke.”

The Waziri Adamawa recommended an independent investigation, but stressed that due process demands Gbajabiamila step aside immediately to prevent interference. “The rule of law must prevail in this issue,” he added. “Let President Tinubu prove to Nigerians that he is sincerely committed to accountability in his administration rather than shielding appointees from scrutiny.”

Atiku’s intervention raises the political stakes significantly, putting the Presidency in a defensive position regarding the handling of its senior officials and the discovery of phantom agencies in the national budget.

Signed:
Atiku Media Office
30 June 2026.