Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has called for an independent investigation into fresh corruption allegations involving President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, saying the claims should not be ignored.
The call was contained in a statement by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja on Tuesday.
The call came after a report by The Gazette that alleged that Gbajabiamila illegally secured approval to divert about ₦54 billion in oil and gas royalty funds using what it described as a fake law.
The allegations have not been independently verified and Gbajabiamila had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time the statement was issued.
Reacting to the report, Atiku said the allegations should be subjected to a transparent investigation, stressing that public officials should be held accountable whenever corruption claims arise.
“This is not a partisan issue, it is about the impunity of corruption that undermines the welfare and future of ordinary Nigerians,” Atiku said.
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He also accused the Federal Government of applying double standards in the handling of corruption allegations involving opposition figures and serving government officials.
“You cannot preach the rule of law when your own officials are awarded with the trophy of untouchability,” he said.
Atiku further argued that Gbajabiamila should be investigated like other public officials facing corruption allegations, recalling that former President Muhammadu Buhari suspended former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, while investigations into allegations against him were ongoing.
The statement also pointed to previous allegations that have been made against the Chief of Staff over the years, saying the latest allegations call for an independent investigation to allow him to respond to the allegations.
The former Vice President also called on the Federal Government to ensure that anti-corruption efforts are not discriminatory, maintaining that all public office holders must be treated equally before the law.