The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, has said the scandal involving the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, has portrayed President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a “den of corruption.”
Abdullahi, who spoke in an interview with Symfoni TV, said the alleged fraud perpetrated by the purported Director General of PFIPC, Adeniyi Adeyemi, has damaged Nigeria’s image before the international community.
According to him, the development has reinforced perceptions that money is being collected in the presidency to award contracts and secure appointments in ministries, departments and agencies.
“Not just Tinubu but all of us as Nigerians should feel collectively embarrassed because the impression that has been created before the world today is that the Nigerian presidency is a den of corruption,” Abdullahi said.
“There have been whispers of people taking money to award contracts, taking money in the presidency to arrange appointment with the president, people taking money to get appointments for people in agencies and parastatals. We never believed it because we said that it could never be that bad.
“I have been a minister and I compared my time and I said it’s not possible but with this Adeyemi’s allegation, people are thinking that this is just the one that is out, this thing has been going on for a long time and it’s just business as usual under Tinubu, this is just the one that got out.”
He called on President Tinubu to ensure a thorough investigation to clear his administration of complicity.
“Tinubu has a duty to himself to ensure that this matter is investigated and proven beyond all doubts that his presidency is not complicit in this level of corruption that has shaken the firmament of our nation,” he said.
Abdullahi also asked the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to proceed on leave to allow for an independent probe.
“If I were Gbajabiamila, I would go to the president and say I offer to go on leave because it’s my name that is being dragged in the mud and no amount of money on earth is worth my name.
“I offer to proceed on leave so that this investigation can be carried out so that I can be exonerated beyond all doubts but you are sitting in the office while all this stench of corruption is spelling around you?” he added.
He noted that by exonerating his Chief of Staff without a probe, the President was giving the impression that he was protecting him.
