Wike Defends Gbajabiamila, Says PFIPC Allegations Are Politically Motivated

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday waded into the raging controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Fiscal and Infrastructure Projects Council scandal, dismissing the allegations against Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila as a calculated attempt by political opponents to tarnish the reputation of a respected public servant.

Wike, who is regarded as one of the most influential political allies of President Tinubu, described the entire saga as a politically inspired scheme designed to distract the government and undermine public confidence in the administration at a time when economic reforms are beginning to yield results.

Speaking during a meeting with some Abuja community leaders at the Government House in Asokoro, the outspoken FCT minister said that those behind the allegations against Gbajabiamila are acting in bad faith and pursuing a narrow political agenda that has nothing to do with genuine accountability or anti-corruption.

According to Wike, the allegations were manufactured and amplified by individuals and groups who are threatened by the progress of the Tinubu administration and are determined to create noise ahead of the 2027 general elections.

"I know Femi Gbajabiamila very well. He is a man of principle and integrity. These allegations are not credible. They are politically motivated attacks by people who have nothing positive to offer this country but chaos and confusion," Wike stated.

The FCT minister also took aim at opposition political figures who have latched onto the PFIPC controversy to score political points, accusing them of hypocrisy and selective outrage. He said many of those now calling for investigations are themselves not innocent and are using the scandal as a cover to distract attention from their own questionable records.

Wike challenged critics to point to any concrete evidence linking the Chief of Staff personally to the alleged PFIPC scheme, saying allegations and insinuations do not amount to proof. He maintained that the government has been transparent in its response to the controversy by directing appropriate agencies to investigate the matter.

"You cannot condemn a man based on the claims of an impostor. An investigation is ongoing. Let the facts come out. But what we will not allow is for desperate politicians to try and convict Gbajabiamila in the court of public opinion based on the rantings of a fraudster," the minister said.

The FCT minister also expressed full confidence in President Tinubu's handling of the matter, saying the President had acted decisively by directing the ICPC to look into the allegations and ensure that the truth is established.

Wike said the President's decision to order an independent investigation, rather than dismissing the matter outright, is itself evidence of his commitment to transparency and good governance. He said those calling for further panels or independent commissions of inquiry are simply trying to elongate the controversy for political benefit.

He however warned that neither the government nor its allies would allow the administration's achievements to be buried under manufactured controversies. According to him, the Tinubu government has recorded significant milestones in infrastructure, economic reform and security despite enormous challenges inherited from previous administrations.

Wike also addressed the arrest of the father of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man at the centre of the PFIPC allegations, saying security agencies acted within the law in conducting their investigation.

He dismissed concerns raised by opposition figures over the arrest, saying law enforcement agencies must be allowed to carry out their work without political interference or pressure from people who have already made up their minds about the outcome.

The minister's strong defence of Gbajabiamila is significant given Wike's towering political profile and his influence within President Tinubu's inner circle. Wike, who joined the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party, has remained a key pillar of the administration's political strategy, particularly in the South-South region.

His intervention in the PFIPC controversy signals that the government is moving from a defensive posture to a more assertive one in pushing back against allegations it considers politically inspired.

Meanwhile, opposition parties and civil society organisations have continued to call for a truly independent investigation into the PFIPC matter, with the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party insisting that allowing government agencies to investigate their own principals cannot produce credible outcomes.

As the controversy continues to generate political heat ahead of the 2027 elections, the battle over the PFIPC scandal has clearly transformed into a broader political fight between the administration and opposition forces seeking to expose what they describe as governance failures within the Tinubu presidency.