PDP Faction Demands Independent Probe into Allegations Against Presidency Officials

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tanimu Turaki has called for an independent investigation into serious allegations against top officials in the Presidency. They warn that these issues reflect bigger problems with transparency, accountability, and governance in the current government.

The Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (NWC) made this call in a statement from its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong. On Sunday, they said that not investigating these corruption claims could further damage public trust in government institutions. They emphasized that this situation needs more than just internal reviews or official denials.

The faction urged President Bola Tinubu to take charge by starting a credible inquiry. This inquiry should uncover the truth, hold anyone guilty accountable, and help restore faith in the Presidency.

The statement said, “The recent grave accusations against the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, by Prince Adeniyi Matthew of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the response from Bayo Onanuga, the Presidential Spokesperson, have shown what many Nigerians have suspected. The APC-led government is running the country in a careless way, where favoritism has replaced merit, and unlawful acts are done like a criminal business.

“Prince Matthew claimed that the Chief of Staff asked for and received money from him to help him get a position in the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. He also said there were more demands while running the office. The Presidency, through Bayo Onanuga, did not flatly deny the claims. Instead, they called Prince Matthew an impostor and a fraudster who tricked his way into high government positions, getting office space, staff, budget allocations, and working with institutions like the EFCC and security agencies without proper authority.

“How can we explain the series of embarrassments coming from the Presidential Villa under this government? From appointing deceased people to government positions, to including unqualified individuals on the presidential pardon list, the N800 billion Progressive Governors Forum scandal, and many other mistakes. This administration has shown a worrying trend of failure.

“The two possible results of this scandal are very troubling. If the Presidency is right and Prince Matthew is an impostor, then the Federal Government is very weak and vulnerable. This would mean that the country is being seriously cheated because those in charge of protecting our resources are either very incompetent or distracted from their duties.

The Turaki-led NWC stated that if Prince Matthew's claims are true, it would mean serious corruption within the administration. They added that no matter what, Nigerians are the ones who suffer.

They continued, “If Nigerians were to accept the Presidency’s explanation, the consequences would be huge. How could an impostor operate freely at such a high level of government? How did he get office space at the Federal Secretariat, staff, budget provisions, CBN accounts, and access to top institutions? This is a significant failure of the state.

“A responsible government facing such a big breakdown would quickly start an independent forensic investigation, suspend the key officials involved, make necessary reforms to prevent this from happening again, apologize publicly, and consider resignations of those found guilty. Instead, the APC-led government seems to be doing a quiet internal review, downplaying public concerns, and hoping people forget about it over time.

“We call on President Bola Tinubu to order a forensic investigation by a respected international firm, suspend all key officials linked to this issue, reorganize the Presidency, and apologize to Nigerians for this embarrassing situation.

“As we have said before, this administration is more focused on political strategies and has neglected governance. This neglect has led to many mismanagement issues. The Presidency owes Nigerians more than explanations; it needs to be accountable. Until this government shows it is ready to be accountable, every new scandal will deepen the public's distrust and strengthen their call for a competent, transparent government by 2027.

PUNCH Online reports that Adeyemi claimed that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million through an intermediary and asked for an extra ₦200 million to help with his appointment.

But the Presidency has rejected these claims, saying that Gbajabiamila has no power to make such appointments.