A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr Garus Gololo, has said that for justice to be served over the controversy surrounding COVID-19 and social intervention funding, that the accused should be made to face anti- graft agencies to clear their names from the mess and to give the ruling party a good image it deserves.
Dr Gololo, while speaking to The Sun in an exclusive chart Thursday, expressed displeasure over the prolonged silence of the President in addressing concerns of Nigerian masses with regards to the involvement of his Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila in COVID-19 funding and the Minister of Interior Mr Tunji Ojo including the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Betta Edu.
Dr Gololo, said, “What is wrong in Gbajabiamila coming out to address the public to clear his name. This may make millions of Nigerians have his own side of the story. This thing happened when he was the speaker of the House of Representatives, and we all know what happened and how the COVID-19 palliatives were shared among the elites leaving the masses to die. We have it on good authority that presently, the Chief of Staff influenced the appointment of five House of Representatives member into the cabinet of the President and this includes Tunji-Ojo, who was also a member of Representatives during the dramatic ‘off microphone dance at the 9th Assembly.
That was when he was the Chairman Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC. It is an aberration however that so many states and communities have been denied rights of chosen their representatives. Take a look at when Tunji Ojo, has been in government. And now you can see that since he was linked to the financial misconducts at the humanitarian affairs and COVID-19 funding, the authority have not been able to make him face the law.
“Today, it means the Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and the Minister of Interior, Mr Tunji-Ojo is above the law. The man Tunji even has refused to submit to the code of conduct bureau for normal asset declaration which he allegedly failed to do before appointment as a cabinet member”.
The APC Chieftain, further, observed that the cartel in Aso Villa, is already has their activities surpassing that of cabal which ruined the administration of former President Mohammadu Buhari. then we cried over the power grip of late Abbah Kyari but today, we may be in for another trouble with Gbajabiamila. What we are saying is that if Betta Edu should be suspended, then Tunj Ojo, should also be suspended and investigated if not the Presidency is biased. And millions of Nigerians would have confirmed that he is the disciple of Gbajabiamila.”
In more clarifications, he said that the leaked letter detailing the conversation between those involved shows that Betta Edu, the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, received N3 billions of COVID-19 funds for the verification of the national social register.
Also a letter on September 18, 2023, with reference number SH/145/A/220, Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff of President Bola Tinubu, told Edu that her request to obtain N3 billion from the COVID-19 funds had been approved by the president.
The letter read, “Please be informed that the President has approved the expenditure of N3,000,000,000.00 (three billion naira) only, from the COVID-19 Palliative Fund for verification of the National Social Register,” Gbajabiamila wrote.
“Please accept the assurance of my highest regards.”
“It was also revealed that the N3 billion was disbursed to nine companies, including one linked to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior. The minister said he resigned from the company in 2019.
“Edu’s approval came about two months after the National Economic Council (NEC), presided by the Vice-President Kashim Shettima, dropped the social register compiled under Muhammadu Buhari, immediate past president, for lacking credibility.”