The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the alleged inclusion of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in the Federal Government’s budget framework says it found no evidence that President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, authorised, established or participated in the activities of the organisation.
Instead, the committee said evidence before it showed that Gbajabiamila alerted security and investigative agencies and initiated administrative verification after concerns about the purported organisation were brought to his attention.
The committee disclosed this in its preliminary findings, presented by its Chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, during a press briefing on the investigation.
According to the panel, concerns about the organisation were first brought to Gbajabiamila’s attention following an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission over suspected fraudulent activities and the alleged misuse of institutional materials.
The committee said Gbajabiamila responded within a day by communicating with relevant security and investigative agencies, including 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 that administrative verification be carried out through the appropriate government institutions, the committee said.
The panel added that when further concerns emerged, including those relating to a proposed world investment summit, Gbajabiamila sent additional communications requesting investigation and appropriate action.
“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 said.
“On the contrary, the evidence demonstrates repeated steps to secure investigation, institutional verification and appropriate administrative action.”
The committee subsequently said it “preliminarily commends” Gbajabiamila for the timely security and administrative interventions he undertook whenever the matter was formally brought to his attention.
Alleged fake appointment letter
The committee’s findings also indicated that a document purportedly appointing Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as Director-General of the organisation was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency.
The document purportedly bore the authority and signature of Gbajabiamila.
However, the committee said evidence obtained from the State House established that no such appointment was made or approved by the Presidency and that Gbajabiamila neither issued nor signed the letter.
The panel said the letterhead was not an authentic State House letterhead and that its purported reference number was inconsistent with the official referencing system.
It added that the format, language and administrative features of the document materially differed from those used in official State House correspondence.
The committee therefore made a preliminary finding that the purported appointment letter was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency.
Alleged fake executive order, National Assembly Act
The committee further said documents presented as a Presidential Executive Order and an Act of the National Assembly establishing the organisation were also not authentic.
It said the purported Executive Order No. 5, dated February 24, 2026, was neither issued nor approved through the lawful processes of the Presidency.
Similarly, the document presented as an Act of the National Assembly was never passed by both chambers, was not assented to by the President and was not gazetted as an Act of the Federation, according to the committee.
The panel said portions of an instrument relating to another institution appeared to have been electronically altered, mutilated or substituted to create the impression that Parliament had enacted legislation establishing the purported organisation.
PFIPC not established by law
The committee said it found no valid Act of the National Assembly, gazetted enactment, Presidential Executive Order, administrative instrument or other lawful authority establishing an institution known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
It said no competent Federal Government authority had produced an authentic record showing that the organisation was created, approved or authorised by the President, the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation or any other legally empowered institution.
The committee also said the organisation operated under inconsistent descriptions, including the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
₦400m alleged transaction
The panel disclosed that it had received a complaint from a company alleging that Adeyemi induced it to make payments totalling approximately ₦400 million in four instalments.
According to the committee, the payments were allegedly made after the company was promised a contract to renovate, furnish or improve a residence purportedly allocated to Adeyemi in his claimed capacity as Director-General of the organisation.
The committee said it was tracing the payment destinations, identifying account holders and beneficial owners, and verifying the ownership and status of the property.
It stressed, however, that the allegations remained subject to further investigation and that criminal guilt could only be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
58 bank accounts linked to alleged PFIPC DG
The committee said preliminary financial information indicated that about 58 bank accounts were linked through identifying information associated with Adeyemi, with more than 30 accounts apparently operated in the names of about nine agencies, companies, foundations or related entities.
It alleged that Adeyemi might be connected, directly or indirectly, to more than 12 entities, although it had not concluded that every identified account, entity or transaction was unlawful.
The panel said it would continue reconciling registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information and transaction histories to determine the nature and control of the entities and accounts.
The committee said its preliminary findings also uncovered alleged weaknesses within government institutions in verifying the legal existence of agencies, authenticating official correspondence, allocating government accommodation, processing special number plates and protecting official identities.
It said its final report would identify institutional and individual responsibilities and recommend appropriate legislative, administrative, disciplinary, civil, financial and prosecutorial action where necessary.
The committee stressed that its current findings were preliminary and did not constitute its final report or the final decision of the House of Representatives.
