The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed allegations connecting President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the alleged fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), describing the claims as politically motivated.
Wike made the statement during his monthly media briefing in Abuja, where he argued that targeting a Chief of Staff is a common political strategy used to weaken governments by attacking key figures close to the president.
The controversy began after Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew claimed to operate the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, an agency he said was linked to the Presidency. Gbajabiamila later issued a disclaimer, stating that the council does not exist, while Adeyemi insisted that the organisation was captured in the national budget.
Following the allegations, President Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a 30-day investigation into the matter.
Reacting to the development, Wike defended Gbajabiamila, saying he knows the Chief of Staff personally and questioning the credibility of the accusations. He argued that the office of the Chief of Staff does not have the responsibility of creating budget documents, making the bribery allegations difficult to understand.
The FCT Minister also questioned why the accuser reportedly left the country after making serious claims, insisting that anyone with evidence should present it to relevant security agencies.
Wike further criticised opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, over calls for a broader investigation panel involving opposition representatives. He described the demand as politically motivated and urged opposition leaders to focus on resolving their own internal challenges.
The minister also revealed that he recently ordered the arrest of an individual who allegedly attempted to blackmail him by claiming that his son received $2 million in exchange for FCT land allocations.
According to Wike, investigations exposed the allegation as false, noting that his son was outside the country at the time the alleged transaction was said to have occurred.
He reaffirmed his support for the ICPC investigation, expressing confidence that authorities would uncover the truth behind the allegations.
