President Bola Tinubu appointed Femi Gbajabiamila as chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill on the same day he directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to investigate the PFIPC scandal in which Gbajabiamila is implicated. The appointment and probe were announced simultaneously, drawing sharp criticism from opposition figures. Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, said the move amounts to Tinubu urging Gbajabiamila to "go and sin more." He called the ICPC investigation a "smokescreen" meant to deflect attention rather than deliver accountability.
Atiku's statement was issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, and referenced allegations by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the central figure in the PFIPC controversy, who claimed Gbajabiamila collected bribes for appointments within the council. The president's decision to install the same official under investigation as head of a major reform initiative has raised questions about conflict of interest and ethical consistency. The National Policing Bill working group is intended to review and propose reforms to Nigeria's policing structure, a role requiring high public trust. Gbajabiamila, currently serving as Chief of Staff to the President, previously served as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The ICPC has not yet released findings from its investigation into the PFIPC matter. No timeline for the completion of the working group's assignment was provided.
Tinubu appointed Gbajabiamila to lead policing reform on the same day he ordered an ICPC probe into his alleged bribery role in the PFIPC scandal. This creates a direct conflict between accountability and appointment, undermining the credibility of both the investigation and the reform process. The decision signals that proximity to power may shield officials from consequences regardless of public allegations. If the policing reform is to gain public trust, its leadership must be beyond ethical reproach.
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