A former aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, has slammed the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, for deciding to sue the alleged Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, for defamation.
It was gathered that Onochie reasoned that filing a lawsuit would not stop Adeyemi’s allegations from gaining traction in the public space.
She also called on President Tinubu and the security agencies to investigate the allegations and find out the truth or otherwise of the claims.
Adeyemi accused Gbajabiamila of demanding a 48 per cent kick-back on a so-called ₦27.3 billion grant for the council.
He also said he paid the presidential aide ₦400 million through an intermediary and was supposed to pay an additional ₦200 million.
The allegations have not been proven in court, while Gbajabiamila has denied wrongdoing and instituted legal proceedings against Adeyemi for alleged defamation.
Adeyemi was arrested and detained earlier before his release. Onochie said in a post on 𝕏 that the lawsuit would not silence Adeyemi.
“Taking Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi to court to keep him quiet ain’t gonna work,” she wrote.
She has been vocal in support of Adeyemi’s allegations against the Chief of Staff.
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Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the Director-General of one of Gbaja’s personal agencies, said Gbaja demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a ₦27.3 billion grant. I trust him.
Adeyemi also claimed that he paid Gbajabiamila ₦400m through a proxy and that he owed another ₦200m. “I believe him.”
Her characterization of the council as one of Gbajabiamila’s “personal agencies” is an allegation that has not been independently verified.
Onochie calls for broader investigation
The former presidential aide queried if the security agencies had investigated Adeyemi’s claims or checked the possible existence of such bodies.
She specifically mentioned Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“Who has checked on whether there are other personal agencies, like the National Lottery Commission?” she asked.
“Just what is happening in those personal agencies? Who did the checking? Not the police, not the DSS, not the EFCC, not President Bola Tinubu.”
Onochie also accused the National Assembly of benefiting from the activities of such agencies under the cover of oversight functions.
She alleged that the National Assembly was involved in the looting of these personal agencies in the name of ‘oversight functions’.
Gbajabiamila has vehemently denied the allegations against him while Adeyemi has faced separate legal proceedings arising from the formation and operations of the alleged council.
