₦airaland Forum

resident Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajamila, illegally cornered tens of billions of naira in oil and gas royalty from Nigeria’s thriving oil regulatory commission after citing a fake law to the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, documents seen by Peoples Gazette showed.

Weeks after Mr Tinubu took the oath of office in 2023, his chief of staff began canvassing for money, knocking on the doors of highly lucrative agencies like the Nigeria Revenue Service (formerly Federal Inland Revenue Service), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (the agency in charge of the nation’s maritime operations) and Nigeria Customs Service, sources acquainted with the matter told The Gazette.

The NUPRC was not left out of the financial push as Mr Gbajabiamila drafted a memo requesting that four per cent of the cost of collection (annual revenue generated from the NUPRC) be split into two parts: 2.5 per cent for its operations and routine capital expenditure, and 1.5 per cent for capital expenditure.

The language ringfencing the 1.5 per cent, equal to N54 billion, was vague, as Mr Gbajabiamila said it was for “upgrading of crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems”. What he meant by transparency systems for such a humongous amount was not immediately clear.

“Mr President has directed that the Budget Office and the Accountant General of the Federation implement the approval in paragraph 2.a. above and ring fence the 1.5 per cent which may only be utilised for upgrading crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems upon obtaining relevant approvals,” Mr Gbajabiamila stated in a memo dated July 4, 2023.

Mr Gbajabiamila justified his request by citing a section of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 to support his directive.

“The authority to collect these fees is vested in statute—Section 24(2)(c) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) (2023). However, the specific percentage collectable is subject to presidential approval,” Mr Gbajabiamila said in the July 2023 memo.

Checks by The Gazette revealed the section contains language that does not in any way correlate with the authorisation to claim tens of billions of naira from the nation’s coffers.

“The source of the commission Fund shall be as follows–( c) cost of collection by the commission,” stated PIA 2023 Section 24 (2c) that Mr Gbajabiamila cited in a letter to the Ministry of Finance and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to lay claim to N54 billion.

When asked for comments, the presidency defended Mr Gbajabiamila, saying he only carried out the president’s instructions, which he claimed were within the ambit of the law.

The presidency avoided commenting on the falseness of the cited law, instead insisting that the N54 billion illegally received was with the president’s say-so and that there was no “smoking gun” on the matter.

“Gbajabiamila did not commandeer any money,” Bayo Onanuga told The Gazette on Monday. “The presidential order given to the NUPRC is within the right of the Mr President as president and C-in-C.”

Further checks by The Gazette showed that even the president lacked such powers to direct NUPRC’s revenue accrual and capital expenditure appropriation.

That responsibility was assigned to the National Assembly under Section 24(1) of the PIA 2023, stating, “The commission shall maintain a fund into which money accruing to the commission shall be paid, and all expenditures of the commission shall be subject to appropriation by the National Assembly.”

The president, according to the cited law, has no business with directing how the cost of collection is shared, let alone laying claim to its 1.5 per cent.

The cost of collection, which was N98 billion in 2022, increased significantly to N145 billion following Mr Tinubu’s unification of the official and black market exchange rates.

Whether Mr Tinubu’s action constitutes an overreach of his constitutional powers remains to be seen and can only be determined by a competent court.

Mr Gbajabiamila has been implicated in corruption scandals across borders, including in the U.S., where he was disbarred by the State Bar of Georgia after allegedly stealing money from a client.

For months, Mr Gbajabiamila ignored summonses from the State Bar to answer questions regarding the theft. He subsequently stopped paying his membership fee after his client reported him to the Bar.

His actions led to a five-year suspension from the Bar in 2015 and ultimately led to outright termination in 2020 after the Bar determined it could no longer condone Mr Gbajamila’s ethical lapses.

In 2022, Mr Gbajabiamila was accused of accepting $2 million in cash bribes (as the speaker of the House of Representatives) to secure passage of the new Petroleum Industry Bill, despite protests from host communities.

In his latest financial scandal, the president’s chief of staff is battling fraud allegations and fighting to survive a N400 million bribery scandal that has engulfed his political career.

https://gazettengr.com/exclusive-aso-rock-memo-shows-how-gbajabiamila-used-fake-law-to-corner-n54-billion-oil-revenue-from-nuprc/

Can’t say i blame him! He’s only acting true to type! The people i blame are the docile and naive Nigerians that slept while the most virulent form of criminal hegemonic entitlement succeeded in snatching and holding on to power since 2015! Nigeria has known no peace, progress or unity ever since their arrival!

GOD ABEGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!

That Adeyemi dude is a small thief. The bigger and biggest thieves are in Aso Rock villa.

APC and all its members and supporters are a terrorist gang of thieves

Argue with the Canadian Supreme Court 😏

They was a country.

And just imagine this monumental sleezy corruption oozing purifying stench from the COS of a govt. From head to tail.

They are rotten with unending corruption. Nigeria you better accept reality. Tinubu must be voted out and made accountable.

Nlfpmod, just imagine

Hunger wan kee online supporters, while their masters are feeding fat...

Chai

The NUPRC was not left out of the financial push as Mr Gbajabiamila drafted a memo requesting that four per cent of the cost of collection (annual revenue generated from the NUPRC) be split into two parts: 2.5 per cent for its operations and routine capital expenditure, and 1.5 per cent for capital expenditure.

I read the story from the beginning to the end and couldn’t get how Gbaja cornered N54 billion to himself or what the problem exactly is.
The president clearly approved a policy framework for the agency in respect of how the 4% cost of collection should be utilized.

He even directed the AGF to enforce the policy implementation which clearly shows that the said money is in the CBN TSA under the custody of the Accountant General. So, what exactly is the problem? How does this amount to Gbajabiamila cornering N54 billion?

Just one person corner 54b naira and there's more that is still not open to the public, where will they go and spend all these money. Hell I guess.

While IyaAlakara told her Zone B's to start up Akara and kuli kuli business because it's profitable, and her Zone B's were busy defending her while she and her looting machines mercilessly loot the state treasury with impunity 😂😂😂

Everybody go get sense las las!

orikoku:
Just one person corner 54b naira and there's more that is still not open to the public, where will they go and spend all these money. Hell I guess.

Racoon:
And just imagine this monumental sleezy corruption oozing purifying stench from the COS of a govt. From head to tail.

They are rotten with unending corruption. Nigeria you better accept reality. Tinubu must be voted out and made accountable.

Can any of you point to the part in the report where it was alleged that N54 billion went to Gbajabiamila? I’m not really getting it.

Nigerian government in 2026= Execcuthieves + legislooters + judisharing but the efcc and law enforcement after yahoo boys who stole nothing from the National treasure

ogododo:
resident Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajamila, illegally cornered tens of billions of naira in oil and gas royalty from Nigeria’s thriving oil regulatory commission after citing a fake law to the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, documents seen by Peoples Gazette showed.

Weeks after Mr Tinubu took the oath of office in 2023, his chief of staff began canvassing for money, knocking on the doors of highly lucrative agencies like the Nigeria Revenue Service (formerly Federal Inland Revenue Service), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (the agency in charge of the nation’s maritime operations) and Nigeria Customs Service, sources acquainted with the matter told The Gazette.

The NUPRC was not left out of the financial push as Mr Gbajabiamila drafted a memo requesting that four per cent of the cost of collection (annual revenue generated from the NUPRC) be split into two parts: 2.5 per cent for its operations and routine capital expenditure, and 1.5 per cent for capital expenditure.

The language ringfencing the 1.5 per cent, equal to N54 billion, was vague, as Mr Gbajabiamila said it was for “upgrading of crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems”. What he meant by transparency systems for such a humongous amount was not immediately clear.

“Mr President has directed that the Budget Office and the Accountant General of the Federation implement the approval in paragraph 2.a. above and ring fence the 1.5 per cent which may only be utilised for upgrading crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems upon obtaining relevant approvals,” Mr Gbajabiamila stated in a memo dated July 4, 2023.

Mr Gbajabiamila justified his request by citing a section of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 to support his directive.

“The authority to collect these fees is vested in statute—Section 24(2)(c) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) (2023). However, the specific percentage collectable is subject to presidential approval,” Mr Gbajabiamila said in the July 2023 memo.

Checks by The Gazette revealed the section contains language that does not in any way correlate with the authorisation to claim tens of billions of naira from the nation’s coffers.

“The source of the commission Fund shall be as follows–( c) cost of collection by the commission,” stated PIA 2023 Section 24 (2c) that Mr Gbajabiamila cited in a letter to the Ministry of Finance and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to lay claim to N54 billion.

When asked for comments, the presidency defended Mr Gbajabiamila, saying he only carried out the president’s instructions, which he claimed were within the ambit of the law.

The presidency avoided commenting on the falseness of the cited law, instead insisting that the N54 billion illegally received was with the president’s say-so and that there was no “smoking gun” on the matter.

“Gbajabiamila did not commandeer any money,” Bayo Onanuga told The Gazette on Monday. “The presidential order given to the NUPRC is within the right of the Mr President as president and C-in-C.”

Further checks by The Gazette showed that even the president lacked such powers to direct NUPRC’s revenue accrual and capital expenditure appropriation.

That responsibility was assigned to the National Assembly under Section 24(1) of the PIA 2023, stating, “The commission shall maintain a fund into which money accruing to the commission shall be paid, and all expenditures of the commission shall be subject to appropriation by the National Assembly.”

The president, according to the cited law, has no business with directing how the cost of collection is shared, let alone laying claim to its 1.5 per cent.

The cost of collection, which was N98 billion in 2022, increased significantly to N145 billion following Mr Tinubu’s unification of the official and black market exchange rates.

Whether Mr Tinubu’s action constitutes an overreach of his constitutional powers remains to be seen and can only be determined by a competent court.

Mr Gbajabiamila has been implicated in corruption scandals across borders, including in the U.S., where he was disbarred by the State Bar of Georgia after allegedly stealing money from a client.

For months, Mr Gbajabiamila ignored summonses from the State Bar to answer questions regarding the theft. He subsequently stopped paying his membership fee after his client reported him to the Bar.

His actions led to a five-year suspension from the Bar in 2015 and ultimately led to outright termination in 2020 after the Bar determined it could no longer condone Mr Gbajamila’s ethical lapses.

In 2022, Mr Gbajabiamila was accused of accepting $2 million in cash bribes (as the speaker of the House of Representatives) to secure passage of the new Petroleum Industry Bill, despite protests from host communities.

In his latest financial scandal, the president’s chief of staff is battling fraud allegations and fighting to survive a N400 million bribery scandal that has engulfed his political career.

https://gazettengr.com/exclusive-aso-rock-memo-shows-how-gbajabiamila-used-fake-law-to-corner-n54-billion-oil-revenue-from-nuprc/

Naija has a way of chasing the small fish while the big fish seem to swim freely. Every day we hear about arrests of Yahoo boys, but many Nigerians still wonder why people accused of looting billions of public funds don't appear to face the same speed and intensity of justice. Until the law works the same way for everyone, that question won't go away.

They really mean that guy....I doubt he would escape the onslaught!

Who be the person that wants the downfall of this man so badly.

Gbaja wan finish Nigeria completely for Tinubu.

Those that will go to jail after Tinubu’s tenure go plenty.

Tinubu himself may not be exempted.

My annoyance is with people like yarimo, burob, helinues, seunmsg and other robots that check their phones around 28 of every month waiting for 30k naira, for their slavery on every media platform defending Apc and the thieves in aso rock.... Assuming these laptop boys are paid 400m naira annually... I would've agreed that it pays to be lap dog and a wicked person...see people they're defending, one person alone stealing tens of billions.... I think these laptop boys are more evil than the people they're defending

Like I stated in one of posts, our 'leaders' know what they're doing. Someone is being protected to prevent scandal especially as election is around the corner. Again, it's possible that alot of persons are connected to this mess. Indicting one could implicate others.

Greatest Gbaja

Gbaja gate

Nawa Nlfpmod.

If this can be done by an individual, imagine what these parties do, Omo politics is just terrible in this tribal state.

The APC

The APC Mods should do the needful and push this lies, propaganda and deceit from the faaake certttifficcate hollldderr to the FP.

If their nightmare PO had done anything or someone close had done this, there will be no time wasted.

The true muslims who were decieved by the coven öf mandate snatchers should be wary of the faaake muslim muslim ticket for the second time. if they have not learnt anything from the lies and deciet of APC and the faaaaakkkkeee guru str*tegist or not had enough of the suffering and terrorism it brought to their doorsteps, they should go ahead snatch and grab again for the roasted electricity fraud

What did u all expect when we allowed known criminals to take over government... just like allowing hushpuppy to government the affairs of this country

Money for campaign

Nawa oo.