The Nigeria Democratic Congress has called for the immediate suspension of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, an agency the Presidency has reportedly disowned.
The opposition party said Gbajabiamila should step aside to allow an independent investigation into allegations that the purported agency was used to divert public funds and facilitate the alleged sale of government appointments.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the NDC described the allegations as grave, insisting that the Chief of Staff’s continued stay in office could undermine the credibility of any probe.
“The immediate removal of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, is necessary to allow for a full, unbiased investigation, as his continued stay in office constitutes a clear conflict of interest and a threat to the integrity of any probe,” the party said.
The demand comes amid growing controversy surrounding the alleged operations of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, following claims by its self-acclaimed Director-General, Prince Matthew Adeniyi Adeyemi, that the agency received budgetary allocations and operated government accounts despite being declared non-existent by the Presidency.
The NDC alleged that the agency was used to siphon public funds with the active involvement of senior government officials, including the Chief of Staff.
According to the party, Adeyemi claimed that the PFIPC maintained several financial accounts, including domiciliary accounts and a Treasury Single Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, despite the Presidency’s denial of the agency’s existence.
It questioned how an organisation allegedly regarded as fictitious could secure allocations in the 2026 budget, open official financial accounts and obtain approval for over 300 staff positions.
“The NDC finds it deeply troubling that an agency the Presidency claims does not exist could open multiple high-level financial accounts at the apex bank. How then was a fictitious agency able to open such accounts without the necessary documentation?” the statement read.
The opposition party further cited allegations by Adeyemi that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant, reportedly valued at over ₦27.3bn.
It also referenced claims that Adeyemi paid ₦600m to secure his appointment, alleging that ₦400m had already been paid through proxies while a balance of ₦200m remained outstanding.
Describing the allegations as indicative of “institutionalised corruption,” the NDC said they raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability within President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The party also called attention to the death of Babatunde Tanimola, described as an intermediary between Adeyemi and the Chief of Staff.
According to the NDC, Tanimola died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after police reportedly received a petition linked to the matter.
It further cited Adeyemi’s claim that he had survived multiple assassination attempts, including an attack along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, and urged authorities to provide him with witness protection.
The party urged President Tinubu to constitute an independent panel to investigate the alleged operations of the PFIPC, including its budgetary allocations, financial transactions, account openings and staff recruitment.
It also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Nigeria Police Force to launch a comprehensive investigation into the allegations.
The NDC further 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 of the Federation be investigated over their alleged roles in the matter.
It also sought forensic examination of official documents signed by the Chief of Staff since assuming office.
“The NDC stands firmly with the people of Nigeria in demanding accountability. Anyone found culpable in this sordid affair, no matter how highly placed, must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” the statement added.
