The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has appeared before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as part of an ongoing investigation into the activities of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
His lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, confirmed that Gbajabiamila honoured the invitation in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a full investigation into the matter.
According to the statement, the Chief of Staff met with ICPC officials on Monday, where he answered questions and provided his account regarding the allegations before returning to his official duties.
The investigation follows claims made by the self-proclaimed Director-General of the PFIPC, Adeniyi Adeyemi, who alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 percent of the agency’s proposed ₦27.3 billion take-off grant.
Adeyemi also accused the presidential aide of receiving ₦400 million through an intermediary and requesting an additional ₦200 million to facilitate presidential approvals.
Gbajabiamila has strongly denied all the allegations, insisting that he has no personal, professional, or official relationship with Adeyemi. He also rejected claims that he demanded or received money, abused his office, interfered with investigations, or had any involvement in the alleged death of Babatunde Tanimola or an alleged assassination attempt linked to the case.
Following the allegations, President Tinubu directed the ICPC to carry out a full investigation.
In a separate legal action, Gbajabiamila has filed a ₦15 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He is seeking ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages, ₦200 million as legal costs, and a court order compelling Adeyemi to publicly retract the allegations and issue an apology across national newspapers and social media platforms.
His legal team described the accusations as false, malicious, and defamatory.
Meanwhile, Adeyemi was arrested by the police in Osun State after a court issued a bench warrant for his arrest following his failure to appear for arraignment.
Separately, the House of Representatives has inaugurated a 12-member ad hoc committee to investigate the establishment of the disputed PFIPC and examine how it was included in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
The committee will also probe the alleged allocation of ₦1.3 billion to the agency in the 2026 budget. Speaking during the inauguration, Speaker of the House Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere, said the investigation is aimed at uncovering the facts rather than pursuing political interests.
Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi assured Nigerians that the panel would carry out a fair, transparent, and comprehensive investigation.
