Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered an elaborate fraud scheme involving the alleged forgery of presidential documents, the mutilation of an Act of the National Assembly, and a network of 58 bank accounts linked to the self-acclaimed Director-General of the purported agency. The committee, however, exonerated the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, from allegations that he authorised, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation.
Presenting the panel’s preliminary findings at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the committee chairman, Rep. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, revealed that the investigation had uncovered a staggering web of deception that allowed a private individual to create the illusion of a legitimate government agency. The committee found no valid Act of the National Assembly, gazetted enactment, Presidential Executive Order or any other lawful instrument establishing the PFIPC. It said no competent government authority had produced an authentic record showing that the organisation was created, approved or authorised by President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation or any other legally empowered institution. The committee also noted that the organisation operated under inconsistent names, including the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
A major finding of the investigation concerned a document purporting to appoint Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as Director-General of the PFIPC. The document was presented as an official communication from the Presidency and purportedly carried the authority and signature of Gbajabiamila. However, Gagdi said evidence obtained from the State House established that no such appointment was made or approved by the Presidency. He said Gbajabiamila neither issued nor signed the letter, while the letterhead was not authentic State House letterhead and its reference number was inconsistent with the official referencing system of the Presidency. The committee consequently made a preliminary finding that “the purported appointment letter was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency”.
The committee also uncovered a purported Presidential Executive Order No. 5 dated February 24, 2026, which was allegedly used to provide legal authority for the organisation. The lawmakers, however, said evidence before them indicated that the document was neither issued nor approved through lawful presidential processes. “The evidence presently available indicates that the document was not an authentic Executive Order,” the committee stated. Another key document examined was a purported Act of the National Assembly, which the committee said was altered and presented as legitimate legislation to give the agency official backing.
Beyond the alleged forgery, the investigation uncovered a vast financial network. According to the committee, preliminary financial information indicated that approximately 58 bank accounts were linked through the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and other identifying details associated with Adeniyi Adeyemi. More than 30 accounts were apparently operated in the names of about nine agencies, companies, foundations or related entities. The committee also uncovered allegations involving about ₦400 million in payments and the unauthorised occupation of federal office accommodation by the purported organisation. Some entities appeared to have multiple accounts, while additional accounts were operated in personal or variant names. The committee, however, said it had not concluded that every identified account, entity or transaction was unlawful. It added that it was reconciling registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information, signatories and transaction histories to determine the true nature and control of the identified entities and accounts.
Rather than finding evidence linking Gbajabiamila to the alleged scheme, the committee said documents before it showed that he had taken steps to trigger investigations into the purported organisation when concerns were brought to his attention. Following an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) over suspected fraudulent activities and misuse of institutional materials, Gbajabiamila acted within one day by communicating with the Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He also initiated administrative verification through relevant government institutions. The committee consequently commended Gbajabiamila for what it described as timely security and administrative interventions whenever the matter was formally brought to his attention. “The documentary evidence presently before the Committee does not establish that the Chief of Staff authorised, approved, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation,” the committee stated. “On the contrary, the evidence demonstrates repeated steps to secure investigation, institutional verification and appropriate administrative action”.
The investigation followed a House resolution of July 8, 2026, directing the committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the emergence of PFIPC and its alleged inclusion in the Federal Budget Framework. A review of the 2026 Appropriation Act had revealed that the purported agency had secured a place in the budget, occupied an office within the Federal Secretariat, obtained official-looking number plates, and established relationships with several government institutions. The committee stressed that its findings were preliminary and did not constitute the committee’s final report or the final decision of the House. The investigation is ongoing.
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