The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said he spent months ensuring the inclusion of the south-east in a federal infrastructure loan during his time as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Gbajabiamila served as Speaker between 2019 and 2023, during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term, a period marked by public complaints over perceived marginalisation of the south-east region.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day induction programme for newly inaugurated commissioners of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in Abuja on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila said the government was unhappy with him for initially refusing to approve a foreign loan that excluded the south-east.
“The members of the House scrutinised the application with a fine-tooth comb and discovered the loan covered all zones except the south-east,” he said. “We refused to pass it for months until we secured a commitment to include the south-east in the loan’s infrastructural distribution.”
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Gbajabiamila said the decision was guided by federal character principles and fairness, noting that it would have been unjust for one region to be excluded from a loan funded by the entire country. He added that such exclusion creates the appearance of discrimination and undermines national cohesion.
He also highlighted the broader role of the FCC, noting that the commission is crucial not only in political appointments but also in ensuring equitable distribution of infrastructure projects and social services.
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“The FCC represents an internal layer of checks and balances within the executive,” Gbajabiamila said. “This assignment demands courage, to say no when pressured and to defend the Constitution even when inconvenient.”
The Chief of Staff urged the commissioners to uphold fairness and inclusion to maintain unity and public trust in the Nigerian state.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
