A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Seye Oladejo, has cautioned Nigerians against passing judgment on the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linked to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Oladejo made the appeal in a statement issued in Lagos amid growing online debate over Gbajabiamila’s alleged role in the operations of the PFIPC.
The controversy followed claims by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who was described as the purported Director-General of the council.
Adeyemi had accused Gbajabiamila of demanding a share of the agency’s alleged take-off grant, receiving funds through proxies, abusing his office and being involved in an alleged cover-up.
The allegations triggered widespread discussion across traditional and social media platforms, with some critics calling for Gbajabiamila to step aside pending investigation.
Gbajabiamila has denied the allegations.
He has also threatened to institute a N10 billion legal action against Adeyemi if the claims are not withdrawn.
Reacting to the development, Oladejo said Nigerians should avoid turning social media into a platform for instant conviction.
He said allegations against public officials must be handled through lawful processes and proper investigative channels rather than through online outrage.
According to him, the trend of judging people on social media based on unverified claims poses a serious danger to democratic values.
Oladejo said the matter had become another example of how online narratives can quickly damage reputations before facts are properly established.
The former Lagos APC spokesman described the attacks on Gbajabiamila as a form of digital persecution.
He said no person should be condemned before evidence is tested and before competent authorities complete their work.
Oladejo argued that fairness, due process and the presumption of innocence remain essential principles in any democratic society.
He said social media trends, hashtags and viral posts cannot replace courts of law or official investigations.
According to him, those who have made allegations should allow security and anti-corruption agencies to examine the claims professionally.
Oladejo warned that trial by social media encourages misinformation, selective outrage and political manipulation.
He said the pattern usually begins with an allegation, followed by political amplification, online monetisation and public pressure to convict before facts are known.
He added that when later investigations reveal a different picture, the damage to the accused person’s reputation may already have been done.
Oladejo said Gbajabiamila’s long career in public office naturally makes him open to scrutiny and criticism.
He noted that the Chief of Staff had previously served as Minority Leader, Majority Leader and Speaker of the House of Representatives before his current appointment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
However, he stressed that scrutiny must not be turned into persecution.
Oladejo said no public officer should be shielded from investigation where credible allegations exist, but no one should also be condemned simply because an allegation has become popular online.
He said the issue goes beyond Gbajabiamila, warning that the same online judgment could be used tomorrow against another public official, opposition figure or private citizen.
According to him, democracy depends on strong institutions and respect for the rule of law, not digital mobs or emotional public pressure.
He urged Nigerians who genuinely want the truth to allow the relevant authorities to establish the facts without intimidation or interference.
Oladejo said Gbajabiamila deserves no special protection, but deserves the same fairness, due process and justice that every Nigerian is entitled to under the law.
He maintained that only legally recognised institutions, not social media platforms, can determine guilt or innocence based on evidence.
