Fake agency: Dalung says keeping Gbajabiamila in office undermines probe

By Muhammad Tanko Shittu —

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to ensure a credible investigation into the controversy surrounding the alleged fake federal agency.

Mr Dalung said suspending the Chief of Staff would demonstrate the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability, following allegations by the embattled Director-General of the agency, Mr Adeniyi, that he allegedly paid N600 million as a bribe before securing his appointment.

Addressing journalists at his residence in Jos, Plateau State, Mr Dalung alleged that Gbajabiamila was a key figure in the matter and should step aside to allow an impartial investigation.

He argued that officials working under the Chief of Staff would find it difficult to investigate him independently.

“Nigeria is every week with one scatter. I sympathise with the citizens of this country. We wake up with a fake Federal Government agency, it had a Director-General who was very influential and was even listed in the budget of this country,” Mr Dalung said.

He questioned how an agency now described as fake was able to operate from the Presidential Villa and secure federal budget allocations.

“The believable story is that the Director-General, Mr Adeniyi, said he paid a bribe of N600 million before he was appointed. If not a bribe, what could have opened the doors, including the gate of the Villa, for a fake agency?” he asked.

While acknowledging President Tinubu’s directive to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to investigate the matter, Mr Dalung expressed doubts about the commission’s ability to conduct an independent probe.

He alleged that the anti-corruption agency lacked the credibility to investigate the allegations impartially.

“ICPC, as it stands today, is the attack dog of President Bola Tinubu. They have arrested critics of the government. So ICPC lacks the credibility to investigate this issue,” he claimed.

Mr Dalung further argued that the President had yet to demonstrate the political will required to ensure a transparent investigation because, according to him, the Chief of Staff remained in office.

“The man is a culprit. Gbajabiamila is still in office because he is complicit either by omission or commission,” he alleged.

He maintained that suspending the Chief of Staff was the only way Nigerians would have confidence in the outcome of the investigation.

“The appropriate thing for the President, if we are to believe him, is to suspend the man who is still in office,” Mr Dalung said.

The former minister also dismissed reports that the ICPC had invited Gbajabiamila for questioning, describing the move as a mere formality.

According to him, the anti-graft agency cannot be seen as independent because it operates under the executive arm of government.