PFIPC Scandal: House of Reps Exonerates Gbajabiamila, Faults Adeyemi

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating alleged inclusion of the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in the federal government’s budget framework said it found no evidence linking Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the establishment or activities of the organization.

The committee said its preliminary findings showed that Gbajabiamila neither approved nor set up the purported Council, nor participated in its activities.

The committee’s Chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting the panel’s preliminary findings at a press briefing on the investigation, reports the Punch.

The committee said Gbajabiamila took steps to alert security and investigative agencies after the concerns about the purported body were brought to his attention rather than being involved in the activities of the organization.

The panel stated that the matter was first brought to the attention of the Chief of Staff following an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) over suspected fraudulent activities and alleged misuse of institutional materials.

It said Gbajabiamila responded within one day by contacting relevant agencies including the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He also launched administrative verification through relevant government institutions, the committee said.

Further concerns, including those relating to a proposed world investment summit, prompted the Chief of Staff to issue additional communications requesting investigation and appropriate action, it said.

“Documentary evidence before the Committee does not establish that the Chief of Staff authorized, approved, established or participated in the activities of the purported organization.

“The evidence shows repeated attempts to secure an investigation, institutional verification and the appropriate administrative action,” the committee said.

The committee later said it “preliminarily commends” Gbajabiamila for his timely security and administrative interventions whenever the matter was formally brought to his attention.

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Counterfeit Appointment Letter
The panel also found that a letter which claimed to have appointed Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as the Director-General of the organization was forged and falsely attributed to the Presidency.

The Committee also wanted to authenticate the document that had Gbajabiamila’s signature and authority.

Evidence obtained from the State House showed that no such appointment was made or approved by the Presidency and that Gbajabiamila neither issued nor signed the letter, the lawmakers said.

The committee said the letterhead was not an authentic State House letterhead and the alleged reference number did not conform with the official referencing system.

It further observed that the document was materially different in format, language and other administrative features from that used in official State House correspondence.

The committee therefore made an initial finding that the purported appointment letter was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency.

National Assembly Act, Fake Executive Order
The committee further noted that documents purported to be a Presidential Executive Order and an Act of the National Assembly establishing the alleged organization were also found to be inauthentic.

It said the document purportedly titled Presidential Executive Order No. 5 dated February 24, 2026 was neither issued nor approved through the lawful processes of the Presidency.

Similarly, the purported Act of the National Assembly establishing the organization was not passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, was not assented to by the President and was not gazetted as an Act of the Federation, the committee said.

The panel also said that parts of an instrument relating to another institution appeared to have been electronically altered, mutilated or substituted to make it look as if the National Assembly had passed legislation creating the organization.

No law creating PFIPC
The committee stated that it found no valid Act of the National Assembly, gazetted enactment, Presidential Executive Order, administrative instrument or any other lawful authority establishing an institution known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

It said that no competent authority of the Federal Government has provided any authentic record to establish that the organization was created, approved or authorized by the President, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the National Assembly, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation or any other legally empowered institution.

The lawmakers also said the alleged organization operated under different names including the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC).

Alleged N400m Deal
The committee also revealed that it received a complaint from a company that Adeyemi induced it to make payments in four tranches, totaling about ₦400m.

It was alleged that the company made the payments after it was promised a contract for the renovation, furnishing or improvement of a residence allegedly allocated to Adeyemi in his alleged capacity as Director-General of the organization.

The committee said it was tracking the destination of the funds, identifying the account holders and beneficial owners, and verifying the ownership and status of the property in question.

But the panel underscored that the allegations were still to be further investigated and that the determination of criminal guilt could only be made by a court of competent jurisdiction.

58 Bank Accounts Traced To Adeyemi
Preliminary financial information also showed that about 58 bank accounts had been linked through identifying information tied to Adeyemi, the committee said.

More than 30 of the accounts were said to be run under the names of roughly nine agencies, companies, foundations or related entities.

The panel also alleged that Adeyemi may have been linked, directly or indirectly, to more than a dozen entities.

But it cautioned that the identification of the accounts and entities did not mean that every account, entity or transaction was illegal.

The committee said it would keep working to reconcile registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information and transaction histories to establish the nature and control of the entities and accounts.

Panel cites Institutional Lapses
In addition to the alleged activities surrounding the alleged PFIPC, the committee said its preliminary investigation exposed weaknesses in some government institutions.

The alleged lapses included failure to verify the legal existence of agencies, authenticate official correspondence, allocate government accommodation, process special number plates, and protect official identities.

In its final report, the committee said it would establish institutional and individual responsibilities, and recommend where appropriate legislative, administrative, disciplinary, civil, financial and prosecutorial measures.

The lawmakers stressed that the reports presented were preliminary and should not be considered as the committee’s final report or the House of Representatives’ final position.