The Presidency has dismissed allegations linking the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), describing the man who claimed to head the body, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, as an impostor and “con artist” currently facing criminal prosecution.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency insisted that Gbajabiamila had no connection with the purported council or Adeyemi’s alleged appointment as its Director-General.
The clarification follows growing controversy after Adeyemi accused the Chief of Staff of facilitating his appointment and alleged that he paid N400 million through intermediaries to secure the position, with an outstanding balance of N200 million. He also claimed that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the council’s proposed N27 billion take-off grant.
However, the Presidency did not directly address the allegations concerning the alleged payments, the reported N27 billion grant, or the inclusion of the disputed council in the 2026 federal budget with an allocation of N1.3 billion.
Adeyemi Challenges Presidency’s Position
The controversy escalated after Gbajabiamila issued a disclaimer denying the existence of the PFIPC.
Responding at a press conference last Thursday, Adeyemi rejected the disclaimer, describing it as “a cloud of public misrepresentation, institutional denial and a deliberate attempt to silence legitimate questions that concern matters of national interest.”
He called on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine the allegations, including claims against the Chief of Staff. Adeyemi urged investigators to review official documents, examine budgetary records, investigate alleged attempts on his life and compel Gbajabiamila to step aside while the probe is ongoing.
He also requested that civil society organisations and international observers be included in the panel, with its findings made public.
Questions Over the Council
Investigations by Daily Trust showed that the council’s website, www.pfipc.gov.ng, is inactive, although its Instagram page describes its mission as facilitating foreign investment and global partnerships in Nigeria.
There is also no official government announcement confirming Adeyemi’s appointment as Director-General.
Despite this, Adeyemi reportedly held meetings in that capacity with several government institutions and international organisations, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), and the China Investment Business Development Commission (CIBDC).
Sources said Adeyemi has since been advised to refrain from making further public comments.
Presidency: Chief of Staff Reported Fake Agency
The Presidency said Gbajabiamila was, in fact, the official who first alerted security agencies to the activities of the alleged fake organisation.
According to Onanuga, the Chief of Staff wrote to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police on October 17, 2025, requesting an investigation into individuals allegedly forging appointment letters from his office.
The request followed complaints from officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), who raised concerns that another agency was operating with a similar mandate.
Onanuga said the complaint included copies of the alleged forged appointment letter, requests for diplomatic notes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and photographs of official engagements displayed on the agency’s website.
The Presidency further disclosed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier written to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Chief of Staff on October 15, 2025, seeking clarification over the status of Adeyemi’s organisation after he reportedly convened a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Abuja without the ministry’s knowledge.
Subsequently, both the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) sought clarification from the Presidency.
According to Onanuga, Gbajabiamila responded by denying ever appointing Adeyemi, stressing that appointments to federal agencies fall within the powers of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, not the Chief of Staff.
Police Investigation
The Presidency said police investigations established that the council was fictitious and that Adeyemi allegedly forged his appointment letter and several official documents.
Investigators also alleged that he falsely presented himself as a presidential appointee and sought diplomatic notes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate visa applications for himself and associates.
According to the Presidency, police investigations further revealed that Adeyemi operated 34 bank accounts, including nine allegedly opened under fictitious government agencies such as the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP).
Investigators also alleged that he fraudulently opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, although no public funds were transferred into the account.
The alleged offences include forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
Onanuga disclosed that Adeyemi and two others were arraigned on an eight-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025 and are expected to appear in court on July 27.
He noted that Adeyemi was already on police bail when he recently renewed claims that Gbajabiamila appointed him as Director-General.
“The case of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew is a clear case of a con artist who appears to have built a web of false claims to deceive unsuspecting government officials and the public,” the Presidency stated.
Adeyemi’s Previous Claims
The Presidency also cited an earlier incident in 2016 in which Adeyemi allegedly presented himself as President-General of the World Youth Organisation (WYO), claiming it was affiliated with the United Nations.
According to Onanuga, the United Nations later denied the existence of such an organisation.
He urged Nigerians to allow the court process to run its course and avoid drawing conclusions while the matter remains before the courts.
Civil Society Groups Demand Independent Probe
Despite the Presidency’s position, civil society organisations have called for an independent investigation into the allegations.
The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said allegations against public officials should neither be dismissed nor presumed true without proper investigation.
He argued that public confidence in government depends on transparency, accountability and equal application of the law.
Similarly, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, said discrediting an accuser does not automatically invalidate every allegation made.
According to him, while the criminal case against Adeyemi should proceed without interference, the specific allegations against the Chief of Staff also deserve an independent, transparent and evidence-based investigation.
He maintained that such an approach would either clear Gbajabiamila’s name or establish accountability where wrongdoing is proven.
The controversy continues to generate debate over transparency, accountability and due process, with analysts insisting that only independent investigations and judicial proceedings can resolve the competing claims.
