A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend senior government officials linked to the mounting controversy over a disowned “Presidential Investment Agency,” warning that Nigeria has become “a laughing stock” on the global stage.
Dr. Jackson Lekan Ojo, a security expert and global affairs analyst, urged the President to place the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, the Minister of Finance, Central Bank Governor, Head of Service, and Budget Office Director-General on administrative leave pending a full investigation.
“There are lots of other persons that should go because these are complicit, and they must not be allowed to use their offices to cover up the investigation,” Ojo stated in a Monday press release in Abuja.
The security expert drew comparisons to the previous dismissal of Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs and Science & Technology over financial impropriety and forgery, insisting that the Chief of Staff should not receive preferential treatment.
“President Tinubu and his administration will woefully fail the integrity test if Gbajabiamila is not suspended pending the conclusion of investigation into allegations levelled against him,” he warned.
IMPOSTOR’S AUDACIOUS OPERATION RAISES ALARMS
The Presidency has dismissed Prince Matthew Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the purported agency, as an impostor. However, Ojo challenged this swift dismissal, demanding answers to critical questions that remain unanswered.
“It is so disheartening and disappointing that the presidency is taking Nigeria for granted and treating all of us as morons,” he said.
“How did a fake man get an office space at the Federal Secretariat? How did a fake man get his budget passed from the presidency to the National Assembly? How possible was it for an impostor to play host to ambassadors from different countries and other dignitaries, including the Chairman of EFCC? Also, how did a fake man get approval for the recruitment of 300 staff?”
Ojo urged decisive presidential action to protect Nigeria’s international reputation.
“Mr. President should allow the SGF, CoS, Head of Service, Budget Office, Governor of Central Bank, Minister of Finance, etc to be thoroughly questioned and possibly suspended till investigation is concluded,” he said.
“Handling this issue with levity and unnecessary political sympathy will further damage Nigeria’s image globally.”
He delivered a stark warning: “If only one person could penetrate through the office of the Chief of Staff, to the Budget Office, to the Accountant General, to the Head of Service, to the National Assembly and to the Governor of Central Bank with fake documents and succeed, that is to say nothing is safe in this country.”