PFIPC Probe: Reps Find Forged Presidency, National Assembly Documents, Clear Gbajabiamila

ABUJA — The House of Representatives committee probing the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) says it has found no evidence that Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, authorised, created or participated in the activities of the purported agency.

Instead, the Ad Hoc Committee, chaired by Rep. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, said its preliminary investigation uncovered what it described as forged, fabricated or altered documents allegedly used to portray the organisation as a legitimate federal institution.

The committee said a purported appointment letter naming Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as Director-General of the PFIPC was falsely attributed to the Presidency and allegedly carried Gbajabiamila’s authority and signature.

Evidence obtained from the State House, according to the committee, showed that “no such appointment was made or approved by the Presidency” and that “the Chief of Staff neither issued nor signed the letter.”

The lawmakers said the document was also printed on unauthentic State House letterhead, while its reference number was inconsistent with the official system used by the Presidency.

“The format, language and administrative features of the document departed materially from official State House correspondence,” the committee said.

It therefore concluded preliminarily that “the purported appointment letter was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency.”

Gbajabiamila Reportedly Ordered Investigations

The committee said the evidence it reviewed pointed in the opposite direction regarding Gbajabiamila’s involvement.

According to the lawmakers, the Chief of Staff moved to have the organisation investigated after concerns were brought to his attention.

The committee said an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) concerning suspected fraud and misuse of institutional materials was followed within one day by communications from Gbajabiamila to security and investigative agencies.

The agencies included the Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, DSS and EFCC.

It said the Chief of Staff also initiated administrative verification through relevant government institutions.

Further concerns, including matters connected to a proposed World Investment Summit, reportedly led to additional requests for investigation and appropriate action.

The committee stated: “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.”

“On the contrary, the evidence demonstrates repeated steps to secure investigation, institutional verification and appropriate administrative action,” it added.

The lawmakers commended Gbajabiamila for what they described as timely interventions whenever the issue was formally brought to his attention.

Purported Presidential Order Declared Inauthentic

The investigation also uncovered a document presented as Presidential Executive Order No. 5, dated February 24, 2026.

The document was allegedly used to provide legal backing for the purported organisation.

The committee said evidence available to it indicated that the document was not issued or approved through lawful presidential procedures.

“The evidence presently available indicates that the document was not an authentic Executive Order of the President and was neither issued nor approved through the lawful processes of the Presidency,” the lawmakers stated.

They described the alleged fabrication of a presidential instrument as a serious matter capable of damaging the authority and credibility of the Nigerian state.

Alleged Fake National Assembly Act

The committee said it also uncovered a document purportedly presented as an Act of the National Assembly establishing the PFIPC.

However, lawmakers said the document was never passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, assented to by the President or gazetted as an Act of the Federation.

They further alleged that portions of a document relating to another institution appeared to have been electronically altered, mutilated or substituted to create the impression that Parliament had established the organisation.

“The Committee considers this aspect of the investigation particularly grave,” the report stated.

The committee added that “no individual, organisation or group has the lawful authority to manufacture legislative authority by editing, mutilating, substituting or fabricating a document and presenting it as an enactment of Parliament.”

Fake Letter Allegedly Used to Obtain Government Code

Another document under investigation is a November 7, 2024 letter purportedly written by the State House to the Accountant-General of the Federation seeking an administrative code for the PFIPC.

The letter was allegedly signed by Akambi Adewale, identified in the document as a Director of Administration and Support Services.

The committee said checks by the State House established that the office and directorate described in the letter did not exist in the stated form and that no State House official known as Akambi Adewale occupied the claimed position.

“The Committee therefore preliminarily finds that fictitious names, offices and official designations were deployed in a document calculated to mislead an important financial institution of the Federal Government,” the report stated.

Government Agencies Face Questions

The committee said its investigation had also exposed possible institutional weaknesses within government agencies.

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation reportedly confirmed that its response to the purported State House request was authentic, even though the original request was allegedly forged.

The office also acknowledged that the response should not have been released to Adeyemi or another unauthorised person and should instead have gone through an authenticated official channel.

The committee is examining whether the incident resulted from negligence, failure to comply with verification requirements, breaches of correspondence procedures, deliberate disregard for due process or facilitation.

The Budget Office is similarly being scrutinised over how the purported organisation was recognised within the Federal Budget Framework despite allegedly having no lawful status.

Organisation Allegedly Occupied Federal Secretariat

The lawmakers said the purported agency also occupied an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex without lawful allocation from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

According to evidence before the committee, accommodation previously allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was made available to the organisation by certain officers without lawful authority.

The committee said the occupation of the premises helped the organisation create an appearance of legitimacy.

39 People Presented as Employees

The committee disclosed that about 39 people were allegedly presented as staff members of the organisation.

Their recruitment, appointment letters, identification cards, salaries and allowances are being investigated, alongside allegations that some people may have been asked to pay money to secure employment.

The lawmakers said they would distinguish between people allegedly deceived by the organisation and those who knowingly participated in or benefited from its activities.

58 Bank Accounts Under Investigation

Preliminary financial information also linked approximately 58 bank accounts to identifying details associated with Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who appeared in some records as Adeyemi Matthew.

More than 30 of the accounts were apparently operated in the names of different agencies, companies, foundations or related entities.

The committee said it was still reconciling registration documents, account mandates, beneficial ownership details and transaction histories, stressing that it had not determined that every account or entity identified was unlawful.

N400m Payment Allegation

The committee also disclosed an allegation involving about N400 million allegedly paid by a company to Adeyemi in four instalments.

The company reportedly alleged that it made the payments after being promised a contract for the renovation, furnishing or improvement of a residence purportedly allocated to Adeyemi in his claimed official capacity.

The lawmakers said they were tracing the funds, account holders and beneficial owners and examining the ownership and status of the property.

They stressed that no criminal guilt had been established and that all persons involved remained entitled to fair hearing and due process.

Reps Warn Against Forging State Documents

The committee warned that the allegations extended beyond the purported creation of an unauthorised agency, saying the alleged fabrication of presidential and legislative documents posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s constitutional institutions.

“The National Assembly cannot permit its legislative authority to be counterfeited,” the committee declared.

“The Presidency cannot be impersonated with impunity.”

It added: “The identity, authority and instruments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot be appropriated by any private individual or organisation for personal advantage.”

The committee said preliminary evidence identified Adeyemi as the principal individual associated with the representation and operation of the purported organisation and a broader network of related entities.

It emphasised that its findings remained preliminary and did not constitute a final determination of criminal guilt.

The committee recommended that security and anti-corruption agencies complete their investigations and prosecute any person against whom sufficient admissible evidence is established.

It also recommended the tracing, preservation, freezing and recovery of proceeds of any established unlawful activity, subject to applicable laws and judicial processes.

A final report will be submitted to the House after the committee completes the outstanding aspects of its investigation. The report is expected to determine individual and institutional responsibilities and recommend possible legislative, administrative, disciplinary, civil, financial and criminal measures.

On the specific allegation against Gbajabiamila, the committee’s preliminary conclusion was that there was no evidence that he authorised or participated in the purported PFIPC. Instead, the evidence presented showed that he took steps to have the organisation investigated after concerns were brought to his attention.

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