By Emmanuel Onyedika
The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into allegations that more than ₦1.3 billion was allocated in the 2026 Appropriation Act to a government agency the Presidency insists does not exist.
The House constituted an ad hoc committee to probe the controversy and directed it to interface with the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Director-General of the Budget Office, and other relevant officials.
The investigation followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State), who urged lawmakers to unravel the circumstances surrounding the creation and funding of the alleged agency, the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The controversy has dominated public discourse in recent weeks, with conflicting claims over the agency’s existence and its inclusion in the budget. Leading the debate, Gagdi expressed concern that the PFIPC, which the Presidency has disowned, received an allocation exceeding ₦1.3 billion.
Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Kalu also backed the probe despite photographs circulating online showing him with the individual claiming to head the organisation. Kalu said a thorough investigation was necessary to protect the integrity of public institutions, disclosing that his office had previously received correspondence from the body, which presented itself as a presidency-linked agency.
The House resolved to receive briefings from relevant security and anti-corruption agencies while ensuring its investigation does not interfere with ongoing court proceedings.
At the centre of the controversy is Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims he was lawfully appointed Director-General of the PFIPC despite the Presidency’s denial. 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 insisted the PFIPC is legitimate, citing its inclusion in the 2026 budget, and called on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent panel to investigate.
The Presidency dismissed Adeyemi’s claims, describing him as an impostor. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, alleged that Adeyemi forged appointment documents, impersonated a government official, fraudulently opened a CBN account, and operated under a non-existent agency. Police investigations, according to the Presidency, resulted in an eight-count criminal charge against Adeyemi and two others, with the case scheduled for hearing on July 27.
Separately, Gbajabiamila has threatened a ₦10 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi over allegations of bribery and murder. In a letter signed by his counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, the Chief of Staff demanded that Adeyemi remove all videos and social media posts containing the allegations within 72 hours, publish a retraction and apology in at least five national newspapers and across his social media platforms, and undertake not to make further defamatory statements.
Pinheiro described the allegations as “malicious, reckless and entirely without factual foundation” and warned that failure to comply would trigger civil and criminal proceedings, including a criminal defamation complaint under applicable FCT laws.