FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has dismissed allegations tying Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the “fake” Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, describing the claims as politically motivated and lacking common sense.
The controversy began after Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as DG of the non-existent PFIPC, named Gbajabiamila among those involved. The Presidency has since rejected the claim and directed the ICPC to investigate.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said President Bola Tinubu took the right step by ordering a probe, but warned against turning the matter into a political weapon.
“You don’t embarrass a government without targeting the Chief of Staff”
Wike said senior aides are often used as entry points to attack an administration.
“There are people who target those in government just to give a bad name to their boss. If you want to embarrass any government, the first person you target is the Chief of Staff because people believe that once you get to him, the government will be embarrassed,” he said.
He said he knows Gbajabiamila personally and finds the allegations difficult to believe.
“I know the Chief of Staff very, very well. Without prejudice, I know him very well,” Wike stated.
The minister faulted the logic behind the claims, arguing that the Chief of Staff has no power to create budgets or release funds to a ghost agency.
“Does it make sense that an agency that does not exist he will ask somebody to give it such an amount of money? It is madness. The Chief of Staff cannot create a budget. It is simply not possible,” he said.
Wike also questioned why Adeyemi went into hiding after making the allegations.
“If the young man knows what he is saying is correct, why run away? How can you make such a statement and then run away? You need to be interrogated,” he said.
Drawing from his own experience, Wike recounted a past allegation that his son collected $2 million.
“Somebody once claimed he knew my children and alleged that my son collected two million dollars after speaking with me about land. We investigated the matter and discovered that my son had travelled on a British Airways flight that morning, whereas the alleged transaction was said to have taken place at night,” he said.
He said he was advised to “settle” the matter quietly but refused.
“One of them told me that because of my position, I should settle it. I asked, ‘Settle what?’ This is cheap blackmail. I will not allow that,” he added.
Wike criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and opposition parties for demanding a wider investigation and calling for Gbajabiamila’s removal.
“The demand by Atiku is not new. What did he do when he was the Vice President?” Wike asked.
“A man accused the Chief of Staff today, and by the following morning, the opposition had already issued a statement. What is the business of people like Atiku if it is not politically driven?”
He said calls for the Chief of Staff to be sacked before investigations conclude were misplaced.
“People are saying the Chief of Staff must be sacked. By who? The opposition? Why should he be sacked over unproven allegations? That is not how government works,” he said.
While saying he has no knowledge of any dealings with the budget office, Wike urged anyone with proof to present it to security agencies rather than make claims in the media.
“I am not saying whether there was anything around the budget office because I do not know. But the Chief of Staff cannot create a budget,” he said.
“If it is true, go before the security agencies. Show them your communications, your phone records and every other proof. But you cannot make such serious allegations and then run away.”
The ICPC has confirmed it is investigating the PFIPC matter. Gbajabiamila has not issued a separate public statement.
