Femi Falana Says Presidency Cannot Exonerate Accused
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana stated that the presidency lacks the authority to exonerate anyone charged with a crime.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the allegations as the work of a man who pretended to be Director‑General of a non‑existent government agency.
Speaking to Punch, Falana argued that the Presidency constitutionally cannot clear anyone in the matter and called for an independent investigation of both Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and the alleged Director‑General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council/Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
He said the executive branch is constitutionally unable to absolve any party and that anti‑corruption agencies must be allowed to operate independently.
Falana told a correspondent, “The Presidency is not in a position to clear anybody. It is the duty of the police and anti‑graft agencies to investigate cases of official corruption. The Presidency can only refer Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as the other individual, to the ICPC because allegations of fraud and corruption have been raised.”
The senior advocate questioned the financial provisions linked to the purported agency, asking how the government would explain to Nigerians why a whopping ₦24 billion was budgeted for an unknown agency and how that agency obtained accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He called for an explanation of how a fictitious body allegedly secured a CBN account and attracted a budget line.
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