Presidency panics as another bribery scandal engulfs chief of staff Gbajabiamila

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has come under scrutiny over allegations made by Adeniyi Adeyemi, the director-general of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), implicating the chief of staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, in an appointment-for-cash scandal.

Peoples Gazette had on Monday reported that Mr Adeyemi alleged during a press conference last week that Mr Gbajabiamila received N400 million through a proxy and demanded an additional N200 million to secure his appointment, while also requesting 48 per cent of the PFIPC’s N27.4 billion take-off grant, a request he said he rejected.

As details emerged, the situation has created panic inside the presidential villa, prompting presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga to release a statement on Wednesday to ease tensions in the public.

The presidency said it was aware of the allegations and described the PFIPC as a fictitious agency, claiming that Mr Gbajabiamila had first petitioned the Police and the State Security Service in October last year over the forging of his signature, seal, and portfolio number to issue fake employment letters from his office.

“We are aware of the public interest in the matter of a man called Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew, who has been parading himself as the director-general of a fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council cum Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

“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 statement said.

The Tinubu government also alleged that Mr Adeyemi used the PFIPC, which the government maintained was non-existent, to request a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United States to facilitate visas for some of their staff, while also hosting ambassadors.

Amid the current administration’s attempt to deny the existence of PFIPC, The Gazette’s checks showed that the national budget includes a provision for the agency, while the government’s claim that the company doesn’t exist is contradicted by the fact that it had a line item for almost N2 billion.

It is not the first time that Mr Gbajabiamila has been fingered in a bribery scandal. In 2021, while serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Gbajabiamila was one of the lawmakers accused of taking $2 million in cash bribes each to pass the petroleum law, despite protests from host communities.

Meanwhile, the government claimed that the police filed an eight-count charge at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, against Mr Adeyemi and two of his accomplices since November 2025, following investigations, and that they were released on bail. He is said to be due for another court appearance on July 27.

The accusations levelled against Mr Adeyemi included the fraudulent opening of a Central Bank of Nigeria account using fake documents to mislead the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, as well as criminal forgery.  (Peoples Gazette)