The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate removal of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to an alleged corruption scandal involving a purported fake government agency and the alleged sale of public appointments.
The opposition party urged President Bola Tinubu to remove Gbajabiamila to allow what it described as a full and unbiased investigation into the allegations.
The NDC’s demand follows allegations made by Mathew Adeyemi, who reportedly claimed to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an agency the Presidency has said does not exist.
According to the party, Adeyemi alleged that the purported agency received budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and operated a domiciliary account, a pound sterling account and a Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria despite its disputed status.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the NDC questioned how an agency disowned by the Presidency could allegedly operate financial accounts and secure approval for 314 staff positions, saying the claims raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability in government.
The party also cited allegations by Adeyemi that he paid N600 million to secure his appointment through proxies allegedly linked to the Chief of Staff and claimed that a dispute over the agency’s take-off grant led to the current controversy.
The NDC further referred to the reported death of Babatunde Tanimola, described as an intermediary in the matter, and allegations by Adeyemi that there had been attempts on his life, calling for a thorough investigation into both incidents.
Among its demands, the party called on the President to immediately remove Gbajabiamila from office, establish an independent investigative panel, investigate the operations of the alleged PFIPC, examine the circumstances surrounding Tanimola’s death, and provide witness protection for Adeyemi.
In addition to its demand, the opposition party also seek president Tinubu to direct anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force, to commence investigations.
The NDC maintained that the allegations should be subjected to a transparent investigation and said anyone found culpable should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Gbajabiamila has not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the NDC’s statement, while the Presidency has previously denied the existence of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.