By Sabiu Abdullahi
Public affairs analyst Mahdi Shehu has faulted the Presidency’s response to the controversy surrounding an alleged fake federal agency, saying the explanation raised more concerns than answers.
In a post shared on his official X account on Thursday, Shehu described the Presidency’s position as inconsistent and doubtful. He questioned how an agency said to lack proper legal backing allegedly operated within government structures without detection.
According to him, the issue goes beyond allegations that Adeyemi forged an appointment letter. He argued that several government institutions should explain how the agency reportedly functioned openly.
“Assuming without conceding that Ajibade forged his appointment letter, which is a criminal offence, who is responsible for the following bigger crimes?” he asked.
Shehu said the agency allegedly secured about N1.3 billion through the national budget process before President Bola Tinubu signed the appropriation bill into law.
He also questioned how the organisation reportedly employed about 300 staff members from the federal civil service, opened accounts with both a commercial bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria, and obtained office accommodation inside the Federal Secretariat.
According to him, such developments could not have taken place without the awareness or involvement of several authorities and institutions.
He further expressed concern that security and anti-graft agencies such as the Department of State Services, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission allegedly failed to uncover any irregularities during their screening and monitoring processes.
“Even if Ajibade is culpable, many more ‘big men’ are very much,” he said.
The commentator maintained that the Presidency’s explanation exposed deep weaknesses within public institutions.
“If anything, the explanation coming from the Presidency regarding the ‘fake’ agency is questionable, doubtful, suspect, contradictory, inconsistent, selective and indeed exposes the system, top to bottom, as being sufficiently and extensively vulnerable,” he wrote.
Shehu also stated that countries with stronger institutions would hold officials accountable in similar situations.
“In a normal society, nothing close to this will ever happen and if per adventure it does, decent heads will bow out and many more heads will role into prison,” he said.
The Presidency had earlier accused Adeyemi of forging official documents, creating non-existent presidential agencies and presenting himself falsely as a government official.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency announced that Adeyemi would appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 27 over charges bordering on forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
