- Call for Gbajabiamila’s Suspension
- ADC names Akume, Head of Civil Service, eight others for investigation
By Our Reporters
Pressure is mounting on President Bola Tinubu to order an independent investigation into what critics have described as a falsely invented agency, the PFIPC, with key opposition figures, civil society organisations, and legal practitioners calling for the suspension of Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and several civil society groups have called for a transparent probe into allegations that a fictitious government agency secured budgetary allocations, opened accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, and operated from the Federal Secretariat.
The crisis follows allegations by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claims to be Director-General of the PFIPC, that he paid N400 million through intermediaries to secure his appointment and that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s proposed take-off grant. The Presidency has dismissed Adeyemi as an “impostor” and “serial fraudster,” insisting the PFIPC does not exist and that Adeyemi has been charged with forgery, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretence.
Atiku Abubakar, who is the 2027 presidential candidate for the opposition ADC, has given President Tinubu seven days to order a comprehensive investigation, warning that failure to act would reinforce public suspicion that influential government officials benefited from the alleged fraud.
“If the government wants Nigerians to believe that one man single-handedly created an office for himself, secured office space within a government facility, held meetings with foreign embassy delegations, processed staff salaries through official channels and operated institutional accounts without the knowledge or collaboration of anyone in government, then that narrative raises even more troubling questions than it answers,” Atiku said.
He noted that PFIPC was captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a multi-billion naira allocation and that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service allegedly approved the recruitment of more than 300 personnel into the agency.
“The President must order a comprehensive, independent investigation immediately. Anything short of that will amount to complicity by silence,” Atiku said.
Similarly, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has challenged the Federal Government to answer critical questions, arguing that the issues raised by the alleged existence of the council could not be dismissed with a brief official statement.
“I think there is more to this matter than meets the eye. Nigerians have not been given the full facts,” Falana said. “To say it very mildly, the country has been exposed to unprecedented ridicule.”
He questioned how an agency not created by law found its way into the Appropriation Act, secured office space at the Federal Secretariat, opened accounts with the CBN, and had civil servants deployed to it.
“If this is a conman that can con the Presidency into issuing a letter of appointment, con the Central Bank into opening accounts, con the National Assembly into inserting the agency into the budget, I think the government is kidding.”
Falana called on the government to ask Gbajabiamila to step aside to allow for a full investigation “in the interest of the country and even in his own interest.”
ADC Names 10 Officials for Investigation
The ADC has named 10 Federal Government officials, offices and institutions it wants investigated, saying the controversy had raised grave questions about institutional integrity, governance, accountability and national security.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the Presidency’s explanation left more questions than answers.
Those named include: Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Head of Civil Service, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack; Director General of the Budget Office, Mr Tanimu Yakubu; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Office of the National Security Adviser; the DSS and Nigeria Police; the Office of the Accountant General and CBN; and relevant National Assembly oversight committees.
The ADC insisted that only a transparent, public and independent inquiry could establish the truth and restore confidence in public institutions.
NDC Demands Gbajabiamila’s Removal
The NDC has demanded the immediate removal of Gbajabiamila, arguing that doing so would pave the way for an impartial investigation.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the NDC questioned how an agency officially described as non-existent could open a domiciliary account, a Pounds Sterling account and a Treasury Single Account at the CBN, and secure approval for 314 staff positions.
“These are not mere allegations; they point to a disturbing pattern of institutionalised corruption, including the alleged sale of appointments to the highest bidders,” the NDC said.
The party also expressed concern over the reported death of Babatunde Tanimola, described as an intermediary in the controversy, who allegedly died in a hotel fire in Abuja in October 2025, and Adeyemi’s claim that he survived multiple assassination attempts.
Afenifere Calls for Thorough Investigation
Afenifere has called for a thorough and independent investigation, warning that the sophistication associated with the operations of the non-existent organisation had raised legitimate public concern about whether other individuals or institutions may have facilitated or benefited from its activities.
“The sophistication with which the alleged PFIPC operated has raised valid questions in the public space as to whether there were collaborators, facilitators or beneficiaries beyond the individual currently in focus,” the group said in a statement by its National Organising Secretary, Otunba Kole Omololu.
Afenifere urged the ICPC, EFCC, and DSS to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
HURIWA Calls for Suspension
HURIWA has called on President Tinubu to immediately suspend Gbajabiamila and order a full EFCC/ICPC probe.
“The allegations made by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi are too serious to be dismissed with press statements, political spin or administrative denials,” the group said in a statement by National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko.
HURIWA insisted that Gbajabiamila must be suspended for the duration of the investigation, saying no anti-corruption agency can effectively investigate allegations of this magnitude while the principal subject remains one of the most powerful figures within the Presidency.
BudgIT Raises Budget Integrity Concerns
BudgIT has expressed concern over the budgetary allocation of N1,302,978,784 to PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act, noting that the agency did not exist in previous Appropriation Acts (2023-2025).
BudgIT said the incident reflects longstanding concerns about weaknesses in Nigeria’s budgeting process.
In its National Assembly Insertions in the 2025 Budget report, BudgIT uncovered 11,122 projects worth N6.93 trillion inserted by the National Assembly without adequate justification.
“The successful appropriation of over N1.3 billion to an entity now publicly disowned by the Presidency raises troubling questions about how these safeguards failed simultaneously,” BudgIT said.
The organisation called on the Presidency, Budget Office, National Assembly, and anti-corruption agencies to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the allocation.
Presidency Defends Gbajabiamila
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Temitope Ajayi, has dismissed attempts to link Gbajabiamila to the alleged fraud, describing Adeyemi as an “irredeemable con artist” attempting to drag the Chief of Staff into his criminal enterprise.
“Matthew Adeniyi understands Nigerian public psychology and he is exploiting it expertly to shield himself,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi noted that it was the system itself that raised the red flag, with officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs identifying the anomaly and lodging complaints. He acknowledged that internal collaborators enabled the fraud and called on security agencies to ensure everyone involved is identified and prosecuted.
Arewa Youth Backs Presidency
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum has welcomed the State House clarification, describing it as a decisive intervention that completely exonerates Gbajabiamila from what it described as unfounded and malicious allegations.
In a statement by its National President, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, the group praised Gbajabiamila for his proactive role as a whistle-blower, saying he first raised the alarm on October 17, 2025, through a formal letter to the DSS and the Nigeria Police.
“We commend the Chief of Staff for his vigilance and proactive steps. This action demonstrates his unwavering commitment to transparency and good governance,” Aliyu said.
Background
The controversy emerged following investigation which revealed that PFIPC was allocated N1.302 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite an earlier disclaimer by the Office of the Chief of Staff stating that no such agency existed.
The budget documents showed detailed allocations covering salaries, pensions, overhead costs, training programmes, foreign travel, logistics and capital expenditure, including provisions for hosting an international investment summit.
The police have charged Adeyemi and two accomplices before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretence. The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 27.
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