N3bn COVID Palliative: Presidency Hawks After Gbajabiamila, Claim Northern Assembly

A socio-politcal organization under the aegis of Northern Ethnic Group Assembly (NEYGA), on Wednesday said it had uncovered plans by those it described “some hawks within and outside the Presidential Villa”, scheming to take over the job of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

They organization alleged that the persons have hatched a plot to link Gbajabiamila with the transactions carried out by the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.

Arise News reports that a leaked memo dated December 18, 2023, from the Office of Chief of Staff to the President had revealed that President Bola Tinubu had approved N3 billion from the COVID-19 Palliative Fund for verification of the National Social Register, sparkling off outrage among some Nigerians on social media.

Also, memos have continued to leak from the Ministry and its agencies, following the suspension of Edu, who is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

But reacting to the memos,  Spokesperson of (NEYGA), Ibrahim Dan-Musa, described the plots against the Chief of Staff as distractions against the engine rooms of the Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He said the latest memo that came out was just an attempt by some persons within and outside the Villa to tie Gbajabiamila to the Betta Edu investigation. 

The NEYGA wondered how the Chief of Staff can assume the position of authority, calling on politicians to learn to be tolerant instead of engaging in a direct campaign of calumny against Gbajabiamila, who has served eight years as speaker without scandal.

Dan-Musa asserted that mischief-makers are blinded by illiteracy were behind the campaign of calumny, adding that such memos would continue to circulate, with Gbajabiamila as the prime target. 

The statement reads, “To say Gbajabiamila is an authority in law and a professor in government procedures is not an overstatement. It is clear some people are still seeking the downfall of one of the best brains in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, but they have failed.

“Someone who managed 360 elected Representatives in the Federal House of Representatives for a solid four years without blemish will not fall for a peanut. 

“The Chief of Staff has crossed the bridge before it collapsed, so what they are pursuing is emptiness the second day after the market day!

“We, the concerned citizens for good governance, will soon expose all of you behind the evils you planned. It is now an open secret that you want the government of President Bola Tinubu to fail by trying to pull down the pillars of support behind him.

“Whether you are a Christian or Muslim, whatever you sow, you shall reap. We will go after all of you and expose you to the world. The current Chief of Staff has not faced twenty percent of the attacks one of his predecessors, Abba Kyari, got over wrong allegations. President Tinubu’s verdict on his Chief of Staff’s integrity is known to the public.”

FridayOlokor, Abuja

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