By Suad Ayinla.
Edited by Bababunmi Agbebi
Could the ICPC invitation of Femi Gbajabiamila mark a decisive moment in the probe into the alleged PFIPC scandal?
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has invited the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the alleged fake government agency linked to the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC). He honored the invitation voluntarily, appeared before investigators in Abuja and was not arrested.
Gbajabiamila’s appearance came amid an expanding investigation into how the alleged phantom agency gained access to official circles and attracted public attention. His lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, confirmed that his client responded to questions from the ICPC and returned to his duty post after the session.
The scandal deepened after the agency’s Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, accused Gbajabiamila of collecting ₦400 million through a proxy for the documentation of the PFIPC, and of demanding a further ₦200 million to facilitate his appointment, claims the Chief of Staff denies and which remain unsubstantiated. Adeyemi has since been arrested, arraigned, and remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre on charges including forgery and impersonation.
Investigators are also examining how the PFIPC, despite lacking legal backing, was reportedly used to secure office space, official documents, and other privileges from the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu ordered the ICPC on July 7 to investigate the matter and report within 30 days, with other agencies and officials also drawn into the wider probe. The Presidency has maintained that the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and had no legal basis, and the anti-graft commission has not announced any charge against Gbajabiamila.
Will the ICPC’s next steps finally clarify Gbajabiamila’s role in the PFIPC controversy?
