JUST IN: Allegations Surface Against Femi Gbajabiamila Over Reported ₦54 Billion NUPRC Payment - Politics - Naijatalks

Fresh allegations have emerged claiming that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, used a presidential directive to secure the release of ₦54 billion from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

According to the allegations, the funds were requested as 4% of the NUPRC's revenue, allegedly split into 2.5% and 1.5%, with the latter said to be earmarked for the "upgrading of crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems."

The claims further allege that this funding arrangement lacks a valid legal basis and that similar requests were reportedly made to agencies including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga has defended the payment, maintaining that it was made under a lawful presidential directive and was not illegal.

At the time of this report, the allegations remain disputed, and no court has made any findings on the claims.