By Sabiu Abdullahi
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has denied allegations that he betrayed the confidence placed in him by the President, saying investigations into the accusations against him have been made public.
Gbajabiamila spoke on Saturday at the 2026 Gbajabiamila Mega Empowerment Programme held at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
The allegations against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives were linked to a probe into the activities of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a body described in the report as fictitious.
Gbajabiamila said investigations, including an inquiry conducted by the House of Representatives, had cleared him of wrongdoing.
According to him, the investigations were allowed to run their course despite calls from some quarters for him to be condemned before the process was completed.
He said, “The past few months have tested me in ways I never expected. Stories were written, strange accusations were made, lies were told, and my integrity was questioned. Three years ago, the people of Surulere, the people of Lagos State, and those who love me in Nigeria, stood me in their prayers and spoke up for me when it mattered.
“I will never forget that. I thank you all. The investigative reports are in the public domain.
“Many people wanted me to rush to judgement and give a verdict before the investigation. They refused and insisted on due process. Let me also say, Mr. President knows his Chief of Staff very well. Having worked closely with me for many years, he was therefore supremely confident that I was not in any way involved in those nefarious things.”
Gbajabiamila said the controversy had not affected his commitment to his duties in the Presidency.
He also warned those he accused of orchestrating attacks against him that he would not be distracted from his responsibilities.
“Let me speak plainly and directly to all those behind the attacks. No amount of money, no amount of blackmail or lies, whether sponsored from within or outside, will detract me from my work and the work Mr. President has given me to do.
“And to anyone using my name to defame people or misrepresent me, know that the law will always catch up with you.”
The Chief of Staff also spoke about his relationship with Tinubu, saying his loyalty to the President had remained intact despite occasions when he might disagree with some political decisions.
“In politics, loyalty is the currency we spend the most. I have been with Mr. President for many years…I did not question his leadership and never betrayed his trust in me. I stayed loyal then and I remain loyal now. My commitment to his Renewed Hope agenda is unshaken,” he said.
Gbajabiamila said the empowerment programme was designed to support about 5,000 residents from communities across Surulere.
He listed cash assistance, vehicles, electric tricycles, buses, security patrol vehicles and an ambulance among the items provided under the programme.
The Lagos State Deputy Governor and APC governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, commended Gbajabiamila for maintaining close ties with his constituents.
Hamzat also called for support for President Tinubu’s re-election, arguing that other candidates he described as politically unstable could not match the President’s political experience and capacity.
He said a politician who could not manage a political party would struggle to manage a complex country such as Nigeria, while describing Tinubu as a politician who had remained with his party and helped build it from its foundation into what he called the largest political party in Africa.
