The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate suspension of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to an alleged corruption scandal involving a purported non-existent government agency and the sale of public appointments.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the opposition party said the allegations were grave enough to warrant Gbajabiamila’s removal from office pending an independent investigation, arguing that his 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 statement read.
The NDC alleged that Gbajabiamila was connected to the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an entity it claimed the Presidency had previously disowned as non-existent.
According to the party, the allegations stem from claims by Prince Matthew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who identifies himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC. It said Adeyemi alleged that the agency received allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and operated several financial accounts, including domiciliary accounts and a Treasury Single Account (TSA), despite reportedly not being recognised by the Presidency.
The party questioned how an agency described as non-existent could allegedly receive government funding, open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria and secure approval for 314 staff positions from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“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,” the statement said.
The opposition party also referenced Adeyemi’s allegation that the Chief of Staff demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant, reportedly valued at more than ₦27.3 billion. It further cited claims that Adeyemi secured his appointment after allegedly paying ₦600 million through intermediaries linked to the Chief of Staff, with ₦400 million reportedly paid while ₦200 million remained outstanding.
Describing the allegations as suggestive of “a disturbing pattern of institutionalised corruption,” the NDC said they raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The party also called for an investigation into the death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom it described as an intermediary between Adeyemi and the Chief of Staff. According to the statement, Tanimola died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after police reportedly received a petition from the Chief of Staff.
The NDC further cited Adeyemi’s claims that he survived multiple assassination attempts, including an alleged attack along the Abuja–Kaduna Expressway, and urged security agencies to provide him with witness protection.
It called on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent panel to investigate the alleged operations of the PFIPC, including its purported budgetary allocations, financial accounts, staff approvals and financial transactions.
The party also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations. It further requested 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 over their alleged roles.
“The NDC stands firmly with the people of Nigeria in demanding accountability. Anyone found culpable in this matter, regardless of position, must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” the statement concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Gbajabiamila nor the Presidency had responded to the allegations.
