Gbajabiamila Appears Before ICPC as Investigation into PFIPC Scandal Gathers Steam

Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Monday appeared before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as part of the ongoing investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), an organisation the Presidency has maintained was never established by the Federal Government.

Gbajabiamila's appearance followed an invitation from the anti-corruption agency after President Tinubu directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the council and everyone connected with its operations.

His lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, confirmed in a statement issued on Monday that the former Speaker of the House of Representatives honoured the invitation and cooperated fully with investigators.

According to Ogunye, Gbajabiamila appeared before the commission at about 3:00 p.m on Monday as part of the ongoing investigation into the activities of the PFIPC and related matters.

He stated that the Chief of Staff answered questions put to him by investigators, gave his testimony and subsequently returned to his official duties.

The investigation was ordered by President Tinubu after the Presidency publicly disowned the PFIPC, insisting that the body was never created through any law, executive instrument or presidential approval and therefore has no legal status as a government agency.

The presidential directive, announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, instructed the ICPC to carry out a thorough investigation and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.

According to the Presidency, investigators are expected to establish how the organisation operated while presenting itself as a federal government agency and allegedly obtained official recognition in some quarters.

The investigation also covers the alleged use of forged appointment letters and official government documents by Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, who claimed to be the Director-General of the PFIPC and asserted that he was a presidential appointee.

The ICPC is further expected to investigate allegations surrounding attempts to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, as well as the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.

President Tinubu also directed investigators to examine the source and movement of funds linked to the alleged scheme, determine whether any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries played any role in facilitating the operations of the council and identify institutional weaknesses that may have enabled the organisation to acquire an appearance of legitimacy.

The controversy surrounding the PFIPC intensified after Adeyemi alleged that ₦400 million was paid in connection with the documentation of the agency. He, however, admitted that he never met Gbajabiamila personally during the transaction.

Adeyemi has since been arrested, arraigned before a Federal High Court and remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, where he is facing charges linked to the alleged activities of the council.

The Presidency has repeatedly denied any connection between Gbajabiamila and the alleged scheme.

Onanuga disclosed that police investigators subjected the signature appearing on the disputed appointment letter to forensic examination and concluded that it was forged. He also maintained that all documents allegedly used to establish the PFIPC were fake.

The controversy has continued to generate national attention after it emerged that the PFIPC reportedly appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with an allocation of ₦1.3 billion, despite the Presidency insisting that the organisation has no legal existence.

The development has also prompted the House of Representatives to launch its own investigation into how the agency secured a place in the national budget and allegedly operated from government facilities despite lacking any legal foundation.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), who represents Adeyemi, has equally called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter, arguing that authorities should determine not only the authenticity of the appointment documents but also how the controversial council allegedly gained access to government institutions and the federal budget.

With Gbajabiamila now having honoured the ICPC invitation, attention is expected to shift to the outcome of the ongoing investigations as the anti-graft agency works to unravel the circumstances surrounding one of the most controversial public administration scandals in recent years.