Akande calls out Gbajabiamila over ‘fake’ presidential agency

Former presidential spokesman, Laolu Akande, has criticised the Presidency over what he described as unanswered questions surrounding the alleged existence of a fake government agency while also faulting the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity, saying both issues expose serious governance failures.

Speaking during the “My Take” segment of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, Akande argued that the Presidency’s recent statement on the alleged fake agency failed to address critical questions, even as he lamented that authorities appear to possess intelligence on terrorist groups without translating it into improved public safety.

On the controversy surrounding the alleged agency, Akande said the government owes Nigerians explanations on how such an organisation allegedly became embedded within official government structures.

“The statement by the Presidency left out a few other things regarding how the government sees us as citizens. For instance, how did the so-called fake agency get onto the line item of the Federal Budget? Or how did that agency get an office at the Federal Secretariat?” he said.

He further noted that reports indicate the matter had come to the attention of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, as far back as October last year, yet no public official has been sanctioned several months later.

“For a matter for which the Chief of Staff was at least aware in October last year, we should have heads rolling already. This is now seven months later and no one has been held responsible. That tardiness of action from the Presidency, from the Federal Government, is curious,” he stated.

Akande also advised Gbajabiamila to take the allegations seriously, particularly because senior lawyer Femi Falana is reportedly pursuing legal action related to the matter.

“We must kindly advise Mr. Gbajabiamila, whom this man has accused, to get prepared because Femi Falana fighting for this so-called conman is not a joke. The fact that Falana is standing up to this case sends a different message,” he said.

He also questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s choice of advisers and senior officials.

“Let us ask the President again, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, how did you manage to surround yourself with a third-class team of people when you are playing the World Cup of your life? That is so sad,” Akande added.

On insecurity, the former presidential spokesman expressed concern that government authorities appear to know the identities of terrorists but have failed to effectively stop their activities.

“Our government know these people who are beheading people, kidnapping school children. And then, it’s not a bad thing that they know them. Except that, that knowledge ought to be the advantage for public safety because they can then arrest them and deal with them. But the real perplexity for all of us is that our government knows these people and their grievous evil is continuing. That is so sad,” he said.

Akande, however, welcomed the reported arrest of suspected terrorists after their return from pilgrimage in Mecca, attributing the development to the country’s integrated identity management system.

“The good news though is that those terrorists who went to Mecca have now been arrested on their arrival. Imagine in the first instance terrorists going to worship in Mecca? Something is wrong with that. Kudos to the government, they’ve been arrested because of the new integrated ID system which enabled the arrest of those terrorists when they came back,” he said.

Hi remarks come amid recent allegations by Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Council and has accused Gbajabiamila of corruption. The Presidency has dismissed claims relating to the purported agency and maintained that due process is being followed.

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