Jane Salihu
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately relieve the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of his duties to pave the way for what it described as an independent investigation into allegations linking him to an alleged fake government agency and the purported sale of public appointments.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the opposition party expressed concern over allegations involving one Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who reportedly presented himself as the Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The NDC noted that although the Presidency has reportedly disowned the agency, claims have emerged that the organisation allegedly received budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and operated financial accounts, including a Treasury Single Account (TSA), a domiciliary account and a Pounds Sterling account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
According to the party, the allegations raise questions about how an agency reportedly denied by the Presidency could allegedly obtain official financial accounts and administrative approvals.
The opposition also referenced claims that the alleged agency secured approval for 314 staff positions from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, insisting that the matter requires an independent investigation to establish the facts.
The NDC further referred to allegations by Adeyemi that he paid ₦600 million to secure his appointment, with ₦400 million allegedly paid through intermediaries, while also alleging that disagreements over financial demands triggered the controversy surrounding the agency’s existence.
While stressing that the allegations remain unproven, the party argued that they were serious enough to warrant a transparent probe by relevant authorities.
It also cited reports surrounding the death of an alleged intermediary, Babatunde Tanimola, in a fire incident in Abuja, as well as claims by Adeyemi of attempts on his life, urging investigators to examine both incidents as part of a comprehensive inquiry.
The NDC therefore urged President Tinubu to constitute an independent investigative panel to examine all aspects of the allegations, including the agency’s purported operations, budgetary allocations, account openings, staff approvals and related financial transactions.
It also called on anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission>, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission> and the Nigeria Police Force>, to investigate the matter without interference.
The party maintained that only a thorough and transparent investigation would clarify the allegations and reassure Nigerians of the government’s commitment to accountability.
