Adedokun Waliyu 
The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the controversy surrounding the alleged funding of a purported government agency, the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
An ad hoc committee has been mandated to engage with the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Director-General of the Budget Office, and other relevant government officials to establish the facts surrounding the matter.
The controversy, which has generated widespread public attention in recent weeks, revolves around allegations and counter-allegations over the creation and funding of the PFIPC, an agency the Presidency insists does not exist. The issue was brought before the House by the member representing Plateau State, Yusuf Gagdi, through a motion of urgent public importance seeking a parliamentary investigation.
Gagdi expressed concern over reports that more than ₦1.3 billion was allocated to the alleged agency in the 2026 budget. Lawmakers described the development as a serious threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s budget process and insisted that anyone found culpable must be held accountable.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, whose photograph with the organisation’s alleged Director-General has circulated publicly, supported the probe, saying a thorough investigation is necessary to safeguard the integrity of public institutions. He disclosed that his office had received correspondence from the organisation, which presented itself as a Presidency-linked body operating from the Federal Secretariat.
The House also resolved to receive briefings from relevant security and anti-corruption agencies while ensuring that its investigation does not interfere with any ongoing court proceedings.
The controversy centres on Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims he was lawfully appointed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council despite the Presidency’s position that no such agency exists.
Adeyemi alleged that the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, received ₦400 million through a proxy and later demanded an additional ₦200 million to facilitate his appointment. He further argued that the PFIPC is a legitimate agency because it was included in the 2026 Appropriation Act. He has called on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent panel to investigate the matter, maintaining that he is prepared to defend his claims in court.
The Presidency has dismissed the allegations, with the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, describing Adeyemi as an impostor. According to the Presidency, Adeyemi allegedly forged appointment documents, impersonated a government official, fraudulently opened a Central Bank of Nigeria account and operated under a non-existent government agency.
It also disclosed that police investigations resulted in an eight-count criminal charge against Adeyemi and two others, with the case scheduled for hearing on July 27.
Separately, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila has threatened a ₦10 billion defamation lawsuit against Adeyemi over allegations of bribery and murder.
In a letter signed by his lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, Gbajabiamila demanded that Adeyemi remove all videos and comments containing the allegations within 72 hours, publish a retraction and apology in at least five national newspapers and on social media, and undertake not to make further defamatory statements.
Pinheiro described the allegations as malicious, reckless and entirely without factual foundation, warning that failure to comply with the demands would result in legal proceedings, including a criminal defamation complaint in accordance with the applicable laws of the Federal Capital Territory.
