....If he is not running a Corrupt
Infested Administration his CoS Femi Gbajabiamila ought to have been arrested
and sacked
Erstwhile National Publicity
Secretary of the defunct New People's Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of
the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has joined
other well meaning Nigerians to demand for answers to the plethora of questions
surrounding the establishment and operations of the Foreign Intervention
Promotion Council (FIPC), an agency now wrapped in controversy.
In a statement made available to the
media, the ADC Chief said the controversy surrounding the alleged Foreign
Intervention Promotion Council (FIPC) has become one of the most disturbing
governance scandals in recent memory. It has raised serious questions about
transparency, accountability, and the integrity of public institutions under
the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Presidency, through the Chief of
Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has reportedly disowned the Council,
describing it as an unauthorized and non-existent government agency. While that
explanation may appear convenient, it raises even more troubling questions than
it answers.
If the Council was indeed not a
lawful agency of government, how did it allegedly secure office accommodation
within the Federal Secretariat, one of the most secure government facilities in
the country? How was it able to reportedly operate openly for years without
attracting the attention of the relevant authorities?
How did its promoter, Prince
Adeniyi, allegedly gain access to the highest levels of government, hold
meetings with Ministers, Ambassadors, and other senior public officials, and
reportedly represent Nigeria at diplomatic engagements? Even more astonishing
are reports that he was received by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) and honoured with an award.
If these reports are true, then this
scandal goes far beyond the activities of one individual. It points to a deeply
rooted network of insiders who allegedly provided official recognition, access,
protection, and legitimacy to an entity the Presidency now claims never existed.
More disturbing are reports that the
Council allegedly opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria and was
allocated public funds under the 2026 Appropriation Act. If an organization now
described as "fake" could allegedly find its way into the national
budget and benefit from public resources, then Nigerians are entitled to ask:
Who approved the budgetary allocation? Who processed the documentation? Who
authorized the releases? Who looked the other way?
No sensible Nigerian will believe
that one man accomplished all these without the active collaboration of
powerful individuals within government. Such an operation, if established,
could only have been possible through the connivance of officials across
several ministries, departments, agencies, and institutions.
This is why the Tinubu
administration cannot simply wash its hands off this matter by pointing
accusing fingers at Prince Adeniyi alone. If indeed a fraud of this magnitude
occurred, then those who allegedly aided, facilitated, endorsed, or protected
the operation must equally be identified and brought to justice.
This episode exposes what many
Nigerians have long feared—that institutional safeguards have become
dangerously weak and that accountability is steadily being eroded. It
reinforces growing public concern that government systems have become
vulnerable to manipulation by well-connected individuals operating under
official protection.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu owes
Nigerians more than a denial. He owes them the truth.
Eze called for an immediate,
independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into every aspect of
the scandal. The investigation must establish the legal status of the alleged
Council, determine whether public funds were appropriated or released to it,
identify every public official who facilitated its operations, recover any
public funds unlawfully obtained, and ensure that all those found
culpable—regardless of office or political affiliation—are prosecuted in
accordance with the law.
Anything less would amount to a
cover-up and would further erode public confidence in government institutions.
Eze maintained that if Tinubu is not
running a corrupt Infested Administration then his CoS Femi Gbajabiamila ought
to have been arrested and sacked by now
Nigeria deserves a government where
public institutions are respected, where due process is upheld, and where no
individual or group can exploit the machinery of government with impunity.
The truth must prevail. Every
Nigerian involved, no matter how highly placed, must be held accountable if the
allegations are substantiated. That is the only path to restoring confidence in
governance and preserving the integrity of our public institutions.
Ends
Signed
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
ADC Chieftain, Media Consultant,
Public Relations Strategist & former National Publicity Secretary, nPDP
