Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has said that President Bola Tinubu is aware that his principal staff sell appointments amid bribery allegations against the president’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. 

In an interview with Symfoni TV, published on Saturday, Mr Adebayo said, “It’s obvious that President Tinubu knows very well and doesn’t mind that people pay money to his principal staff to get appointments and to get access.”

The presidential candidate described Mr Tinubu’s government as a clearing-and-forwarding government riddled with corruption, and a weak Senate that cannot checkmate executive excesses.

“It’s a clearing and forwarding government. The Senate does not exist because the Senate president is the senior special assistant to the president of Nigeria on comedy, MC and ceremonial openings. The Senate has lost its leadership. There is a decapitation of the Senate,” Mr Adebayo said.

Mr Tinubu’s spokespersons, Bayo Onanuga, and Daniel Bwala are yet to respond to requests for comments on Mr Adebayo’s allegation that the president is aware that his communication staff sell appointments. 

Mr Adebayo’s statement comes amid public outrage over bribery allegations levelled by the director of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, against the chief of staff to the president.

Mr Adeyemi had, in a press conference, accused Mr Gbajabiamila of collecting N400 million through a proxy and demanding an additional N200 million to secure his appointment.

The presidency dismissed Mr Adeyemi’s allegation, claiming he is heading a fictitious agency. However, evidence shows his agency received funding from the annual budget and had office space in the Federal Secretariat.

With public outrage trailing Mr Adeyemi’s allegations, Mr Tinubu ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Mr Gbajabiamila, others allegedly involved in PFIPC bribery and forgery scandal.