Recent developments suggest a concerted effort by certain influential figures within and outside the Presidential Villa to implicate Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, in the transactions of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
This comes in the wake of a series of leaked memos from the ministry and its agencies, following Edu’s suspension and ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A particularly contentious memo dated December 18, 2023, from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, revealed President Tinubu’s approval of N3 billion from the COVID-19 Palliative Fund for verifying the National Social Register.
The disclosure of this memo led to widespread reactions on social media, with some Nigerians expressing outrage.
In response to the uproar, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, clarified that the approval of the N3 billion was a direct decision by President Tinubu, countering insinuations that Gbajabiamila was involved.
Furthermore, a presidential aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity with Vanguard, indicated that the release of such memos is likely to persist, suggesting that “Gbajabiamila was the prime target” of these revelations.
The source said, “The CoS did not convey his approval. He conveyed approval of his boss, it’s the practice with Abba Kyari and others, that the Chief of Staff conveys approval or otherwise of the President to Cabinet members and institutions that might have requested one or two things from the President. The current Chief of Staff has not faced twenty per cent of the attacks one of his predecessors, Abba Kyari got over wrong allegations. President Tinubu’s verdict on his Chief of Staff’s integrity is known to the public.
“The latest memo that came out was just an attempt by some persons within and outside the Villa to tie Gbajabiamila to the Betta Edu investigation. Thankfully, one of the official spokesmen of the President, Mr Bayo Onanuga has clarified that indeed, the N3 billion was approved by the President himself and not by Gbajabiamila.
“For the sake of clarity, it is not out of place for the President via his chief of staff to raise a memo to approve N3bn for verification of 11 million people inherited from the social register of the last administration based on official request from the minister. N3bn divided by 11 million means each person was verified at about N273 only. So the media trial of the President and his Chief of Staff is of no effect.
“It is left for the humanitarian affairs ministry to prove the exercise was indeed conducted. However, the intention of those who released the memo was to soil Gbajabiamila’s name. The President will rely solely on the outcome of the investigation team he already set up on the Humanitarian ministry.”
Recall that the President had at a Federal Executive Council on October 30, 2023, stated that he was aware of the campaign of calumny launched at Gbajabiamila and even passed a vote of confidence on him.
The President said, “I have absolute confidence in my Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. So, all campaign of calumny, the buck stops here! If I make mistakes, I’ll own up to them.”
