The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate removal of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to an alleged corruption scandal involving a purported fake government agency and the sale of public appointments.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the opposition party urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend the Chief of Staff to allow for what it described as a transparent and unbiased investigation into the allegations.
The NDC’s demand follows claims made by Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who identified himself as the Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an agency the Presidency has maintained does not exist.
According to the party, the allegations raise serious concerns over transparency and accountability within the current administration. It questioned how the purported agency allegedly secured budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and reportedly operated domiciliary, Pounds Sterling and Treasury Single Account (TSA) accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria despite being disowned by the Presidency.
The party also queried claims that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation allegedly approved 314 staff positions for the agency, asking how such approvals could have been granted if the organisation was not officially recognised.
The NDC further referenced Adeyemi’s allegations that he paid N600 million to secure his appointment, with N400 million allegedly paid through intermediaries linked to the Chief of Staff, while an outstanding balance of N200 million reportedly contributed to the current dispute over the agency’s status.
The party also cited allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s reported take-off grant, an allegation it said Adeyemi rejected. It maintained that the claims warrant a comprehensive investigation by relevant authorities.
Expressing concern over security issues surrounding the controversy, the NDC pointed to the death of Babatunde Tanimola, described as an intermediary between Adeyemi and the Chief of Staff, who reportedly died in a hotel fire in Abuja in October 2025. It also referenced Adeyemi’s claim that he survived multiple assassination attempts.
The opposition party called on President Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine the allegations, including the reported budgetary allocations, account openings, staff approvals and financial transactions linked to the alleged agency.
It also urged anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force, to commence a full-scale investigation into the matter.
In addition, the party demanded that officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service be questioned, while calling for forensic examination of official documents signed by the Chief of Staff since assuming office.
The NDC insisted that Nigerians deserve a transparent investigation into the allegations and maintained that anyone found culpable, regardless of status, should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and the Presidency has previously denied the existence of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
