‘Phantom’ council: Presidency clears Gbajabiamila amid concerns

The Presidency yesterday absolved Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of complicity in the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council/Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the appointment of its acclaimed Director General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi. It tagged Adeyemi a “con artist” who was investigated by security agencies and vowed that he […]

The Presidency yesterday absolved Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of complicity in the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council/Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the appointment of its acclaimed Director General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi. It tagged Adeyemi a “con artist” who was investigated by security agencies and vowed that he would have his day in court.

The Presidency was, however, silent on the inclusion of the disputed council in the 2026 budget with an allocation of N1.3 billion; an alleged sum of N400 million Adeyemi claimed to have paid Gbajabiamila by proxy to facilitate his appointment, with a balance of N200 million, and an alleged demand for 48 per cent of the council’s N27 billion take-off grant by the former Speaker.

Gbajabiamila had issued a disclaimer, dismissing the existence of the council, but Adeyemi, in a press conference last Thursday, countered 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 Ahmed Tinubu to set up an independent investigative panel to, among others, compel the Chief of Staff to produce all the official documents he has signed since assumption of office for forensic analysis, review budgetary references and institutional records, investigate alleged assassination attempts on his life and compel Gbajabiamila to step aside pending the outcome of the probe.

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He also demanded that the panel should include credible civil society organisations and international organisations and make its findings public.

Checks by Daily Trust indicated that the council’s website www.pfipc.gov.ng has been inactive, but its mandate is described as “Facilitating global partnerships & foreign investment into Nigeria” on its Instagram page. There was also no official statement announcing Adeyemi’s appointment as the DG of the council.

Findings also showed that Adeyemi, in his capacity as the council’s ‘DG,’ had official engagements with heads of some government agencies and global partners, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and the China Investment Business Development Commission (CIBDC).

Amidst widespread debates generated by the issue, Adeyemi was reportedly told to refrain from further media comments.

Attempts to get the Presidency and the National Assembly to respond to inquiries on the agency and Adeyemi’s allegations last weekend were unsuccessful. 

‘He’s an impostor’

The Presidency finally broke the silence on the matter on Wednesday with a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accusing Adeyemi of peddling falsehood.

Onanuga said the office of the Chief of Staff to the President first blew the whistle on the existence of the illegal agency, following complaints from officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council that another government agency appeared to be functioning at cross-purposes with it.

“The Chief of Staff, on October 17, in a letter, asked the DSS and the Police to probe the activities of ‘fraudsters and imposters’ forging appointment letters purportedly from his office.

“The letter to the security agencies was accompanied by a copy of the forged appointment letter, a copy of the request for a note verbal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and pictures of engagements obtained from the illegal agency’s website.

“Around the time the Chief of Staff lodged the complaint with the security agencies, the existence of the fake agency had raised concerns within the Foreign Affairs Ministry,” the statement read in part.

Onanuga explained that in a letter dated October 15, 2025, the Foreign Affairs Ministry wrote to the office of the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Staff to the President, requesting clarification on the status of Adeyemi’s agency.

He said the letter, which Ambassador Anderson Madubuike signed, followed Adeyemi’s October 10 meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Asokoro, without recourse to the ministry.

“On October 20, the Office of the National Security Adviser wrote to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on the request of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. On 29 October, the OSGF wrote to the Chief of Staff requesting clarification.

“This has become expedient owing to several requests from governmental and non-governmental bodies seeking to ascertain the status of the appointment under consideration. Two days earlier, the Chief of Staff sent his own clear rebuttal to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, stating that he had never issued an appointment letter to Adeyemi as director general of the fake presidential foreign investment promotion council. 

“The Chief of Staff could not have issued a letter of appointment to a non-existent agency. Moreover, the Chief of Staff does not make appointments or write letters, as these are the exclusive preserve of the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation,” it added.

The statement further said the police had been able to establish that the agency Adeyemi purportedly headed was fictitious; that he forged his appointment letter and the documents recovered in his office and home; that he falsely paraded himself as a government appointee and that he falsely solicited a note verbale from the Foreign Affairs Ministry to enable him and his staff to obtain US visas. 

Citing a police investigation report, the statement said the police found that Adeyemi operated 34 bank accounts, with nine opened in the names of his fictitious agencies, known as the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP), and the FCT Investment Promotion Act.

“The police found that Adeyemi, using the fake documents he created, fraudulently opened a CBN account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. According to the police, no government money has been transferred into the account.

“The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community”, it said.

Onanuga noted that based on the investigation, the police filed an eight-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against Adeyemi and two of his accomplices on November 27, 2025, adding that he is due to appear in court on July 27.

According to him, Adeyemi was on police bail when he recently claimed that the Chief of Staff had appointed him as DG of “the fictitious agency.” 

“This claim contradicted his statement to the police in November last year. His new claim prompted the Chief of Staff, on June 8, to issue a disclaimer consistent with earlier advisories that the man, called Adeyemi, is an impostor. 

“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 into playing by his scam book,” the Presidency stated. 

Onanuga said Adeyemi has a history of false presentation, noting that “in November 2016, he paraded himself as an ambassador and President-General of the World Youth Organisation (WYO), an affiliate of the United Nations (UN). He claimed to have been elected in New Delhi, India. The local media celebrated him until the UN denied the existence of such a body.” 

Onanuga consequently urged politicians and members of the public “weaponising Adeyemi’s claim against the Chief of Staff” to refrain from swallowing his narrative hook, line and sinker. 

“They are advised to await the trial of Adeyemi and his accomplices, as well as the court’s judgement, as comments made today are sub judice,” he said. 

CSOs demand transparent investigation

In a chat with Daily Trust, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, called for an independent investigation into allegations against Gbajabiamila.

Rafsanjani said while allegations do not amount to guilt, they should not be ignored if public confidence in government institutions is to be sustained.

“As an organisation committed to promoting transparency, accountability and the rule of law, CISLAC maintains that allegations of corruption against any public official—regardless of office, status or political affiliation—must be treated with seriousness, impartiality and due process.

“While allegations alone do not amount to guilt, they should not be dismissed or ignored. Public confidence in government institutions depends on the willingness of authorities to subject all public officials to the same standards of accountability. The principle that no one is above the law remains fundamental to democratic governance,” he said.

The CISLAC executive director urged anti-corruption agencies to independently examine the allegations and act where there is credible evidence.

“CISLAC therefore calls on relevant anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to independently assess the allegations and, where there is credible evidence, conduct thorough, transparent and professional investigations in accordance with the law. Any investigation should be free from political interference and should respect the constitutional rights of all parties involved,” he said.

He also urged the Presidency to cooperate with any lawful investigative process in the spirit of integrity, insisting that transparency in addressing such allegations is essential to sustaining public trust in government and reinforcing Nigeria’s anti-corruption commitments.

According to Rafsanjani, the allegations present another opportunity for Nigeria to strengthen its anti-corruption institutions and demonstrate that accountability applies equally to all public office holders.

“We must avoid selective enforcement of our laws because this weakens public confidence. But consistent and impartial accountability strengthens democratic institutions and the rule of law,” he said.

Rafsanjani stressed that the country’s anti-corruption efforts would only succeed if investigations remain independent and justice is administered without bias.

“The fight against corruption can only succeed where investigations are independent, prosecutions are evidence-based, and justice is administered fairly without fear or favour,” he added.

Also, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, called on the President to transparently address the claims Adeyemi raised.

According to him, allegations of corruption against any public official, particularly one occupying a strategic office, should be investigated independently and be evidence-based rather than public exchanges.

He said, “The Presidency’s statement provides a detailed account aimed at demonstrating that Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi allegedly operated a fictitious organisation and is already facing criminal prosecution over alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences. If these facts are established in court, they are serious matters that deserve full legal consequences.

“However, the Presidency’s response does not comprehensively address the specific allegations of a purported N400 million payment, the alleged demand for additional funds, or other claims of misconduct made against the Chief of Staff. Simply discrediting the accuser, even if he is eventually proven to be an impostor, does not automatically dispose of every allegation he has made. The credibility of an accuser and the veracity of specific allegations are related but distinct issues.

“RULAAC believes that allegations of corruption against any public official – particularly one occupying such a strategic office – should be addressed through transparent, independent and evidence-based investigation rather than public exchanges. This is essential not only to establish the truth but also to protect innocent officials from unfounded accusations while ensuring that genuine wrongdoing, if any, does not go unpunished.”

Nwaguma maintained that allegations of corruption and abuse of office should be subjected to impartial investigation by the appropriate statutory agencies.

“If the allegations against the Chief of Staff are false, an independent investigation will clear his name. If they have merit, those responsible should be held accountable irrespective of their office or political status.

“At the same time, the criminal proceedings against Prince Adeyemi should be allowed to run their course without political interference, and all parties should refrain from prejudicing the ongoing judicial process.

“Ultimately, accountability, transparency and due process – not competing media narratives – are the surest means of sustaining public confidence in government and the administration of justice,” he added.