Chief of Staff Lacks Budget Authority Amid Bribery Claims

Joseph Oriowo, a budget analyst, asserted that Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, does not possess budgetary authority in response to allegations that Gbajabiamila collected a N400 million bribe related to the appointment of Adeniyi Adeyemi as Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). Oriowo emphasized that the PFIPC is a fictitious agency, as indicated by the absence of any legal establishment in the national assembly gazette.

He outlined the Nigerian budgetary process, stating that the Chief of Staff does not have the power to propose allocations or control the budgetary envelope. The 2026 budget reportedly includes an allocation of N1 billion for the PFIPC, which Oriowo claims is illegal since the agency does not exist.

He urged Adeyemi to provide evidence of the Chief of Staff's involvement in the budget process, highlighting the need for transparency and adherence to fiscal responsibility.