Explosive Corruption Saga Rocks Aso Rock: Chief of Staff Gbajabiamila Implicated in N27.4bn PFIPC Scandal

The controversy surrounding Adeniyi Adeyemi, his alleged role as Director-General of non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), and his accusations against the Presidency’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, has sparked a national debate. Adeyemi is currently facing an eight-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, and impersonation before the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the case scheduled for July 27, 2026.

Speaking from an undisclosed location, Adeyemi has vehemently denied all allegations, asserting his innocence and claiming his life is under threat from the Presidency, which he believes is attempting to silence him. He insisted his organization was legitimately established in 2024 and maintained he possessed a valid appointment letter, though he declined to provide details, citing legal advice and safety concerns. He challenged the notion of the agencies being fictitious, questioning how he could have operated publicly for years, meeting with senior government officials, traditional rulers, diplomats, and investors across the country without detection if they did not exist.

Central to the scandal are Adeyemi's explosive allegations against Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila. Adeyemi claimed Gbajabiamila demanded 48% of the PFIPC’s proposed N27.4 billion take-off grant and allegedly received N400 million through a proxy to facilitate his appointment, with an outstanding balance of N200 million. He called for President Bola Tinubu to constitute an independent investigative panel to probe these claims.

The Presidency, through spokesman Bayo Onanuga, has publicly disowned Adeyemi and the alleged agencies, describing them as fraudulent and non-existent under the Tinubu administration. They dismiss Adeyemi’s bribery claims against Gbajabiamila as surfacing only after he was granted police bail. The Presidency stated that concerns about Adeyemi’s activities first arose from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, leading Gbajabiamila to petition the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force on October 17, 2025, for an investigation.

Investigations reportedly showed Adeyemi and his associates operated from an office in the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, held meetings with officials, and sought diplomatic support for visa applications. Police arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025. Searches of his office and residence in Suleja allegedly recovered forged government documents. Financial checks uncovered 34 bank accounts linked to Adeyemi, some in the names of alleged non-existent government agencies. The Presidency also alleged Adeyemi used forged documents to attempt to open a Central Bank of Nigeria account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, though no public funds were reportedly paid into it.

The controversy has ignited calls from various political and socio-cultural groups for an independent and comprehensive investigation, accusing the Tinubu administration of attempting a cover-up and shielding senior officials. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s media office, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) party, the Yoruba socio-cultural group Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, and even an APC chieftain, Ayekooto Akindele, have all demanded thorough probes. Social media activist Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, also warned that no harm should come to Adeyemi, highlighting public interest in the matter.

Critics across the board question how an allegedly non-existent agency could have operated publicly for 'almost three years,' interacting with top government officials, securing official recognition, exchanging correspondence with the National Assembly, and reportedly receiving a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 national budget. They specifically demanded explanations from institutions like the Office of the Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Budget Office of the Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of the National Security Adviser, DSS, Nigeria Police Force, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria, and relevant National Assembly committees.

Ayekooto Akindele, an APC chieftain, asserted that Adeyemi must have had collaborators within and outside the government, pointing to a Director in the Head of Service office who allegedly signed staff approval letters for the 'non-existent' agency. He also questioned the Inspector General of Police for providing Adeyemi with police protection. The ADC accused the Tinubu administration of applying double standards in its anti-corruption fight, noting investigations against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai while Gbajabiamila has not been asked to step aside. The Yoruba Union challenged Gbajabiamila to explain how the agency obtained a domiciliary pounds account and a Treasury Single Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The groups stressed that the scandal transcends individual wrongdoing, impacting the security and integrity of the Nigerian state and potentially damaging international relations. They urged President Tinubu to immediately suspend Gbajabiamila and establish an independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry, headed by impartial Nigerians, with powers to summon witnesses and obtain documents. The mysterious death of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, described as an alleged intermediary in the bribery scandal, further reinforced calls for a comprehensive investigation. Failure to act decisively, they argued, would reinforce public suspicion of a cover-up and erode confidence in government institutions, with demands for judicial resolution before the 2027 general elections.