Gbajabiamila Appears Before ICPC Over Fake PFIPC Agency Scandal

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, appeared before investigators of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday, July 20, 2026.

This appearance was in connection with the ongoing probe into the activities of the alleged fake agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a scandal that has drawn significant federal government attention.

Mr. Gbajabiamila’s lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, confirmed his client’s presence at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja. Ogunye stated that Mr. Gbajabiamila responded to the commission's invitation at approximately 3:00 p.m. (15:00hrs) and fully cooperated with the investigators, acting as directed by the President of Nigeria.

During his session, the Chief of Staff provided his testimony and answered all questions posed to him before returning to his official duties.

The investigation was initiated following a directive from President Bola Tinubu on July 2, instructing the anti-graft agency to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the PFIPC controversy.

The President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, conveyed this directive, setting a 30-day deadline for the ICPC to conclude its investigation and submit a detailed report.

This presidential intervention came after grave allegations emerged from Adeniyi Adeyemi, who had presented himself as the Director-General of the non-existent PFIPC.

Adeyemi alleged that he paid a N400 million bribe, channeled through a proxy, to someone he believed was Mr. Gbajabiamila, ostensibly to secure an appointment letter for his purported office. Reports also indicated that an additional N200 million was demanded from Adeyemi.

However, Mr. Gbajabiamila has vehemently denied these accusations, asserting that neither he nor his office was involved in appointing Adeyemi to any position. Furthermore, Gbajabiamila stated that he was the one who initially reported Adeyemi's activities to the police, and he has since filed a N15 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi.

Despite the fact that the Presidency explicitly stated the PFIPC was not a recognized government agency and was never established by any law or presidential proclamation, the fake body managed to operate with alarming audacity.

Investigators revealed that the PFIPC secured an office within the federal secretariat, obtained budgetary allocations, opened bank accounts, including one with the Central Bank of Nigeria, and even recruited public servants. It was also clarified that the office space utilized by the PFIPC was, in fact, officially allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), not to the fake agency itself.

Legal action has been taken against Adeniyi Adeyemi. The police have charged him with forgery and impersonation. His arrest occurred on July 14 in Osun State, following the issuance of a bench warrant by a Federal High Court in Abuja due to his failure to appear in court.