Fresh details have emerged about why President Bola Tinubu sacked Fegho Umunubo, his Special Assistant on Digital and Creative Economy, who worked in the office of the Vice President.
Sources in the presidency told PREMIUM TIMES that Umunubo was dismissed after being linked to “a series of scams in the creative industry,” which he allegedly executed “under the cover of his presidential office.”
Umunubo struck “dubious sponsorship deals” with filmmakers and creatives. One of the notable cases involved a “sponsorship deal” with filmmaker Arese Ugwu, creator of “The Smart Money Woman” series.
Read Also: Senate Replies Natasha’s Request To Resume Legislative Duties After Completing Six-Month Suspension
Documents reportedly seen by PREMIUM TIMES show that Umunubo signed an agreement promising a “N10 million sponsorship” for “Lara Unlimited,” a spin-off of Ugwu’s work.
The agreement included “extensive promotional rights” for the presidency’s digital economy office, but Umunubo “failed to honour the terms” of the agreement.
On August 30, Ugwu publicly accused Umunubo of fraud on Instagram, writing: “Just so it’s clear that I’m not crashing out over 5 million naira as Fegho Umunubo would like you to believe.”
According to “presidency insiders,” this was a “recurring pattern” where “Nollywood people were lured into similar deals” by Umunubo, who allegedly leveraged his “proximity to power.”
A source told PREMIUM TIMES, “He scammed multiple people in the industry using that office.”
Umunubo was “quietly relieved of his duties in August,” but sources said he “continued to parade himself as a presidential aide.”
This forced the State House to issue a public announcement on Monday, which was the first time the Tinubu administration has issued “such a disclaimer against a presidential aide.”
Umunubo reacted to the news of his dismissal on Instagram, writing: “It’s been an honour to serve this great country and the creative industry.”
Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2
To Publish Articles, News, Place Advert, Contact Informant Online With Email Link Below: informantonline.com.ng@gmail.com
