Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has questioned the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over his alleged connection to the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, a phantom agency that has thrown the Tinubu administration into one of its most embarrassing scandals. Gbajabiamila appeared before investigators at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, July 20, 2026, at approximately 3:00 p.m., in compliance with an invitation issued by the anti-corruption agency as part of its probe into the activities surrounding the fictitious council and allegations made against senior government officials.
The interrogation marks a significant escalation in the investigation ordered by President Bola Tinubu on July 7, 2026, following the explosive allegations by Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC. Adeyemi had claimed during a press conference that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency's proposed N27.3 billion take-off grant and that he paid N400 million to the Chief of Staff through a proxy to secure his appointment. He further alleged that an additional N200 million was requested to facilitate presidential approvals, and that his dealings with Gbajabiamila were facilitated by the late Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as an intermediary.
Gbajabiamila's lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, confirmed the Chief of Staff's appearance before the commission in a statement, emphasising that his client fully cooperated with investigators in line with the President's directive. "In full cooperation with the ICPC acting as directed by the President of Nigeria, I hereby confirm that my client, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria, responded to the invitation of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and appeared at about 15:00hrs on Monday, July 20, 2026, as part of the ongoing investigation into the activities of the 'PFIPC' fake agency, among others," Ogunye said. According to the lawyer, Gbajabiamila provided a detailed account of his knowledge of the issues, answered all questions put to him by investigators, and returned to his official duties at the Presidency after the session.
The PFIPC scandal has exposed significant institutional lapses within the federal bureaucracy. The Presidency has repeatedly insisted that the council was never established by any law, executive order, or presidential approval, yet the organisation allegedly operated from the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, opened 34 bank accounts—including one with the Central Bank of Nigeria—and secured a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, admitted before a House of Representatives committee that her office failed to properly verify documents submitted by officials of the controversial body before issuing an authorised staff establishment for it.
Gbajabiamila has consistently denied all allegations, describing them as false and defamatory. He has maintained that he had no personal, official, or professional relationship with Adeyemi and denied demanding or receiving any money. He subsequently instituted a N15 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking N10 billion in general damages, N5 billion in aggravated damages, and an order compelling Adeyemi to publish a retraction and apology in five national newspapers. Adeyemi, meanwhile, was arrested by the police in Osun State after a Federal High Court issued a bench warrant for his failure to appear for arraignment on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery and impersonation.
The House of Representatives has also inaugurated a 12-member ad hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the disputed agency and its inclusion in the 2026 Appropriation Act. The committee has summoned the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Budget Office of the Federation, and other key agencies to appear over issues relating to the operations and funding of the controversial council. President Tinubu has directed the ICPC to conclude its investigation within 30 days and submit a comprehensive report on its findings, setting the stage for what could be one of the most consequential accountability exercises of his administration.
The ICPC has yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of Monday's interrogation or indicate whether additional persons connected to the allegations will be invited for questioning. Adeyemi is expected to return to the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 27, 2026, alongside two other suspects identified simply as Femi and Anu, who are currently said to be at large. As the probe continues, the scandal has raised fundamental questions about how a non-existent agency gained access to government facilities, official documents, and budgetary provisions, and whether senior officials within the bureaucracy were complicit in its operations.
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