A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Jackson Lekan Ojo, has said the controversy over the disowned “Presidential Investment Agency” has turned Nigeria into “a laughing stock” in the global community.

Ojo called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend top government officials linked to the scandal pending investigation.

Ojo, a security expert and global affairs analyst, made the call in a statement issued Monday in Abuja.

The ex-APC chieftain listed those who should be sent on administrative leave to include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Finance; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Head of Service of the Federation; and the Director-General of the Budget Office.

“I hereby make the following recommendations: that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should go on administrative leave until after the investigations; the Chief of Staff should go on administrative leave; the Governor of Central Bank, the Head of Service of the Federation, the Head of Budget Office and some Directors should also go on administrative leave until after investigation.

“There are lots of other persons that should go because these are complicit and they must not be allowed to use their offices to cover up the investigation,” he said.

Ojo recalled that former ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, and Science & Technology were sacked over allegations of financial impropriety and forgery, insisting the current issue involving the President’s Chief of Staff should not be an exception.

He said President Tinubu and his administration would “woefully fail the integrity test” if Gbajabiamila is not suspended pending conclusion of investigation into allegations levelled against him by Prince Matthew Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the purported agency.

The Presidency has since dismissed Adeyemi as an impostor.

The security expert faulted the Presidency’s quick dismissal, saying critical questions remain unanswered.

“It is so disheartening and disappointing that the presidency is taking Nigeria for granted and treating all of us as morons,” he said.

“How did a fake man get an office space at the Federal Secretariat? How did a fake man get his budget passed from the presidency to the National Assembly?

“How possible was it for an impostor to play host to ambassadors from different countries and other dignitaries, including the Chairman of EFCC? Also, how did a fake man get approval for the recruitment of 300 staff?”

Ojo urged the President to act decisively to protect Nigeria’s image.

“President Tinubu should please save Nigeria from further embarrassment and be courageous enough to suspend Femi Gbajabiamila immediately, pending the completion of thorough investigation over the issue.

“Mr. President should allow the SGF, CoS, Head of Service, Budget Office, Governor of Central Bank, Minister of Finance, etc to be thoroughly questioned and possibly suspended till investigation is concluded.

“Handling this issue with levity and unnecessary political sympathy will further damage Nigeria’s image globally,” he stated.

He warned: “If only one person could penetrate through the office of the Chief of Staff, to the Budget Office, to the Accountant General, to the Head of Service, to the National Assembly and to the Governor of Central Bank with fake documents and succeed, that is to say nothing is safe in this country.”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is supporting the presidential candidature of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has dissolved the Kano State executive of the party and appointed a caretaker committee to oversee its affairs.

The Deputy National Chairman of the ADC (North-West), Hajiya Najaatu Mohammed, announced the development while addressing a news conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano on Monday.

According to her, the action was taken in line with the party constitution, the Electoral Act, and their collective responsibility to protect the future of the party in Kano State.

“This important action is not out of preference, but out of constitutional duty.
Every action taken has been guided by the Constitution of our party, the Electoral Act, and our collective responsibility to protect the future of the ADC in Kano State.

“Our Constitution exists precisely for moments such as this. It provides a lawful path to restore stability, preserve continuity and ensure that the affairs of the party continue uninterrupted,” she said.

According to her, the national leadership of the party had discharged one of its most important obligations—preserving the unity, continuity and constitutional integrity of the ADC in Kano State.

“When circumstances create a leadership vacuum within any political organisation, responsible leadership cannot fold its arms and watch uncertainty consume the institution. A political party is built on order, discipline and continuity. Without those pillars, confusion replaces organisation, and uncertainty replaces confidence,” she said.

She warned members of the party not to interpret the constitution of the caretaker committee as a judgement on the commitment or loyalty of faithful members of the party in the state.

“The constitution of a Caretaker Committee must never be interpreted as a judgement on the commitment, loyalty or contributions of the thousands of faithful members of our party across Kano State. Far from it. Our members remain the greatest strength of this party,” she said.

The Deputy National Chairman noted that many had sacrificed their time, resources and reputation to build the ADC from the grassroots, adding that many had remained steadfast even when it was politically inconvenient to do so.

She therefore called upon every stakeholder, elder, youth leader, women leader, ward executive and faithful member of the party to support the transitional arrangement in good faith.

She said: “Let us give the Caretaker Committee the cooperation it requires to succeed, let us replace suspicion with trust, let us replace division with dialogue, and let us replace uncertainty with confidence.

“Most importantly, let us replace personal interests with the collective interest of our great party.”

Najaatu Mohammed said that if they remain united, no challenge would be too great; and if they remain disciplined, no obstacle would be insurmountable. She added that if they remain faithful to the party constitution and democratic ideals, the future of the African Democratic Congress in Kano State would be stronger than ever before.

She expressed hope that the caretaker arrangement would mark a new beginning, the restoration of confidence, the strengthening of institutions, and the renewal of their common purpose.

The Oyo State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned aspirants who lost in the just concluded primary elections to desist from parading themselves as the candidates of the party ahead of 2027 general elections.

The party noted that it has come to its notice that some aspirants who did not secure the National Assembly tickets are currently parading themselves as the candidates of the party.

Oyo APC noted that it has already picked all the candidates for the 14 federal constituencies ahead of the next general elections.

The party spoke in a statement released on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Sadare.

The statement explained that the national secretariat of the party had already uploaded the names of the three senatorial and 14 House of Representatives candidates in Oyo State on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, portal as required by law.

It added that this was followed up with the filling of the commission’s nomination forms by individual candidates at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

The statement listed the names submitted as Senator Yunus Akintunde, Aderemi Oseni and Mrs Hannah Ogunesan as candidates for Oyo Central, Oyo South and Oyo North senatorial districts, respectively.

It also listed the House of Representatives candidates as Akeem Adeyemi (Afijio/Atiba/Oyo East/Oyo West), Segun Odebunmi (Ogo-Oluwa/Surulere) and Tajudeen Abisodun Kareem (Atisbo/Saki East/Saki West).

Other candidates are Akin Alabi (Egbeda/Ona-Ara), Olafisoye Akinmoyede (Akinyele/Lagelu), Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo (Ibadan North West/South West), Tolulope Akande-Shadipe (Oluyole), Olamijuwon Alao-Akala (Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South/Oriire), Olatubosun Oladele (Irepo/Olorunsogo/Oorelope), Umar Farouk Alao (Ibadan North), Ibrahim Iyiola (Ibadan North East/Ibadan South East), Sarafa Olaoniye (Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North), Saheed Adejare Yusuf (Kajola/Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa) and Yusuf Asimiyu Osuolale (Ibarapa East/Ido).

Oyo APC maintained that anyone parading himself or herself apart from those mentioned will be dealt with according to the law, adding that the window of opportunity for nomination of candidates by political parties is already closed.

The statement advised individuals parading themselves as APC candidates in the state illegally to desist from doing so or be ready for the consequences of their actions.

“We are using this medium to remind aspirants and stakeholders that the window of opportunity for nomination of candidates by political parties is already closed.

“To this end, we urge individuals parading themselves as APC candidates illegally to desist from doing so or be ready for the consequences of their actions. There cannot be two candidates for a single ticket and as Democrats, one should make it a do-or-die affair,” the statement said.