A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Jackson Lekan Ojo, has said the controversy over the disowned “Presidential Investment Agency” has turned Nigeria into “a laughing stock” in the global community.
Ojo called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend top government officials linked to the scandal pending investigation.
Ojo, a security expert and global affairs analyst, made the call in a statement issued Monday in Abuja.
The ex-APC chieftain listed those who should be sent on administrative leave to include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Finance; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Head of Service of the Federation; and the Director-General of the Budget Office.
“I hereby make the following recommendations: that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should go on administrative leave until after the investigations; the Chief of Staff should go on administrative leave; the Governor of Central Bank, the Head of Service of the Federation, the Head of Budget Office and some Directors should also go on administrative leave until after 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,” he said.
Ojo recalled that former ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, and Science & Technology were sacked over allegations of financial impropriety and forgery, insisting the current issue involving the President’s Chief of Staff should not be an exception.
He said President Tinubu and his administration would “woefully fail the integrity test” if Gbajabiamila is not suspended pending conclusion of investigation into allegations levelled against him by Prince Matthew Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the purported agency.
The Presidency has since dismissed Adeyemi as an impostor.
The security expert faulted the Presidency’s quick dismissal, saying critical questions 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 the President to act decisively to protect Nigeria’s image.
“President Tinubu should please save Nigeria from further embarrassment and be courageous enough to suspend Femi Gbajabiamila immediately, pending the completion of thorough investigation over the issue.
“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.
“Handling this issue with levity and unnecessary political sympathy will further damage Nigeria’s image globally,” he stated.
He warned: “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.”