ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has demanded the immediate removal of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an agency the Presidency has described as non-existent.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the opposition party said the Chief of Staff should step aside to allow “a full, unbiased investigation” into what it described as a massive corruption scandal.
“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 statement read.
The NDC said allegations by Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, had raised “fundamental questions about the level of transparency, accountability and the integrity of the Tinubu administration.”
According to the party, Adeyemi alleged that the purported agency received allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and operated a domiciliary account, a Pounds Sterling account and a Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria despite the Presidency’s insistence that no such agency exists.
“It is deeply troubling that an agency the Presidency claims does not exist could open multiple high-level financial accounts at the apex bank,” the party said.
It added: “For even an individual to open a domiciliary account, stringent documentation is required. How then was a fictitious agency able to open such accounts without the necessary documentation? The Presidency owes Nigerians an urgent clarification on this matter.”
The opposition party also questioned claims that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation approved 314 staff positions for the alleged agency.
“The NDC wonders how such a significant administrative action could occur without the knowledge of the Presidency and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Is the Tinubu administration so clueless and incompetent that major decisions bypass its principal officers?” it asked.
The party further cited allegations by Adeyemi that he secured his appointment after allegedly paying N600 million through intermediaries, with N400 million allegedly delivered on behalf of the Chief of Staff and an outstanding balance of N200 million.
It also referred to allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s proposed take-off grant, a request Adeyemi allegedly rejected.
“These are not mere allegations; they point to a disturbing pattern of institutionalised corruption, including the alleged sale of appointments to the highest bidders,” the statement said.
“The NDC believes this scandal further confirms that the current administration has entrenched and legitimised corruption as a way of governance in Nigeria.”
The party also called for a thorough investigation into the death of Babatunde Tanimola, identified as an intermediary in the matter, who reportedly died in a fire incident at a hotel in Abuja in October 2025, as well as allegations by Adeyemi that there had been multiple attempts on his life.
Among its demands, the NDC urged President Tinubu to immediately establish an independent panel to investigate the controversy, including the alleged budgetary allocations, financial accounts, staff approvals and related transactions.
“The panel must also investigate the mysterious death of Mr. Babatunde Tanimola and the assassination attempts on Prince Adeyemi, with a view to uncovering the full truth and bringing perpetrators to justice,” it said.
The party further called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force to commence what it described as a full-scale investigation.
“The culture of impunity and the brazen sale of public appointments must end,” the statement declared.
“Nigerians deserve to know the truth through a transparent process that promotes fairness and justice. Anyone found culpable in this sordid affair, no matter how highly placed, must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
