The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council has cleared Femi Gbajabiamila of wrongdoing.
The committee’s chairman, Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau), disclosed this in the panel’s preliminary report released in Abuja on Wednesday.
Mr Gagdi said the committee found no evidence linking the chief of staff to the president with the PFIPC’s creation or operations. He said findings showed that Mr Gbajabiamila neither authorised nor approved the establishment or operation of the fake agency.
The lawmaker noted that this contradicted allegations by the PFIPC’s purported director-general, Adeniyi Adeyemi, against Mr Gbajabiamila.
Mr Gagdi said evidence presented before the committee showed that a letter purportedly appointing Mr Adeyemi as director-general was fabricated.
He said the letter was falsely attributed to Mr Gbajabiamila, who neither issued nor signed it. The chairman said the letterhead and reference number used were also inconsistent with official State House correspondence.
Mr Gagdi said documentary evidence showed that Mr Gbajabiamila took steps to expose and investigate the purported organisation after receiving a formal alert.
“The chief of staff acted within one day of receiving an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission over suspected fraudulent activities,” he said.
He said Mr Gbajabiamila subsequently communicated with relevant security and investigative agencies over the matter. These agencies included the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Office of the National Security Adviser.
Mr Gagdi said the committee preliminarily commended Mr Gbajabiamila for what it described as timely security and administrative interventions. He stressed that the committee’s findings were preliminary and did not constitute the House’s final report or decision.
Mr Gagdi said the committee also found that no valid act of the National Assembly, executive order, or other lawful instrument established PFIPC. He said the panel uncovered alleged fabrication of presidential correspondence, a purported executive order and an altered document presented as an act of Parliament.
The chairman identified Mr Adeyemi as the principal person associated with the fake agency. He said the committee recommended further investigation into alleged financial transactions involving the organisation.
Mr Adeyemi alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila was behind PFIPC’s establishment and collected N400 million as a bribe. He also alleged that the chief of staff demanded an additional N200 million bribe.
Mr Gagdi admitted the PFIPC was captured in the 2026 budget and allocated office space at the Federal Secretariat Complex. He said it also had accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria and obtained an official vehicle bearing a government number plate.
The chairman said the fake agency secured the government facilities and other privileges through allegedly forged documents and fraudulent means.
(NAN)
