The House of Representatives has cleared the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of involvement in the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
The House Ad Hoc Committee investigating the alleged inclusion of the organisation in the 2026 Federal Government budget said it found no evidence that Gbajabiamila authorised, established or participated in the council’s activities.
The committee chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, disclosed the findings on Wednesday while presenting the panel’s preliminary report at a press briefing televised by TVC.
According to the committee, Gbajabiamila took steps to alert relevant security and investigative agencies after concerns about the organisation were brought to his attention.
The concerns were initially raised by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission over suspected fraudulent activities and alleged misuse of institutional materials.
The panel said Gbajabiamila responded within a day by contacting the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
He also directed administrative verification through relevant government institutions, the committee said.
The lawmakers added that Gbajabiamila later sent further communications requesting investigations and appropriate action after additional concerns emerged, including those relating to a proposed world investment summit.
“The documentary evidence presently before the Committee does not establish that the Chief of Staff authorised, approved, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation.”
The committee consequently commended Gbajabiamila, on a preliminary basis, for the security and administrative measures he took whenever the matter was brought to his attention.
Appointment Letter Declared Fake
The committee also established that a letter purportedly appointing Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as Director-General of the organisation was forged and falsely attributed to the Presidency.
The document, which purportedly carried Gbajabiamila’s authority and signature, was not issued or approved by the Presidency, according to the lawmakers.
State House records showed that Gbajabiamila neither issued nor signed the letter. The panel further found that the letterhead was not authentic and that its reference number did not conform to the official referencing system.
The committee also rejected documents presented as a Presidential Executive Order and an Act of the National Assembly allegedly establishing the organisation.
According to the panel, the document described as Executive Order No. 5, dated February 24, 2026, was neither issued nor approved through lawful presidential procedures.
Similarly, the purported Act was never passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, assented to by the President or gazetted as an Act of the Federation.
The lawmakers said part of an instrument belonging to another institution appeared to have been electronically altered, mutilated or substituted to create the impression that the National Assembly had established the organisation.
The committee therefore found no valid law, executive order, administrative instrument or other lawful authority establishing an institution known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
58 Bank Accounts Linked to Adeyemi
The panel further disclosed that preliminary financial information had linked about 58 bank accounts to identifying details associated with Adeyemi.
The controversy began after the purported PFIPC, allegedly headed by Adeyemi, appeared in Nigeria’s 2026 Federal Government budget despite questions over its legal existence.
Adeyemi had presented himself as the council’s Director-General and allegedly claimed that he was appointed by Gbajabiamila. The claims prompted the Chief of Staff to deny involvement and led to wider questions over how the purported agency obtained a budgetary allocation and operated within government structures.
As the investigation widened, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission uncovered another alleged fake government agency, the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office.
The latest findings by the House committee are preliminary and further investigations into the purported agencies and related financial activities may continue.
