JUST IN: Reps panel clears Gbajabiamila, uncovers 58 bank accounts, 12 entities linked to alleged PFIPC DG

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has cleared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of any involvement in the alleged appointment of Adeniyi Adeyemi as Director-General of the disputed agency.

The committee, headed by Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, disclosed in its preliminary report released on Wednesday that its investigation uncovered 58 bank accounts and 12 agencies and entities allegedly linked to Adeyemi, who had presented himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC.

The panel, however, said its preliminary findings showed that there was no valid Act of the National Assembly or presidential order establishing the PFIPC.

The investigation was launched by the House following controversy over the inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, despite questions surrounding its legal status and the circumstances under which it appeared in the budget.

According to the committee, its preliminary conclusions were based on oral testimonies, documentary evidence, financial records and submissions obtained from several government agencies during the course of its investigation.

The panel said evidence obtained from the State House indicated that Adeyemi was not appointed Director-General of the PFIPC by the Presidency.

It also said it found no evidence that Gbajabiamila signed an appointment letter purportedly issued to Adeyemi.

The committee’s findings effectively contradict claims linking the Chief of Staff to the establishment of the PFIPC or Adeyemi’s appointment as its head.

Beyond the question of the council’s legal existence, however, the committee said its investigation had raised further concerns over financial transactions and institutional relationships involving Adeyemi.

The discovery of 58 bank accounts and 12 agencies and entities linked to him is expected to form part of the issues requiring further scrutiny as the committee proceeds with its investigation.

The committee stressed that the report was preliminary and emerged from evidence so far presented before it, suggesting that additional findings could be made as the investigation progresses.

The controversy surrounding the PFIPC intensified after the council was listed in the 2026 federal budget, prompting lawmakers to question its origin, legal backing and the identity and authority of those operating it.

The House subsequently constituted the ad hoc committee to establish how the entity came to be included in the appropriation bill and to investigate the activities and financial dealings associated with it.

The latest report therefore shifts the focus of the investigation towards the circumstances surrounding Adeyemi’s activities, the alleged network of entities linked to him and the financial accounts identified by the panel, while separating Gbajabiamila from the purported appointment.

The committee is expected to continue its investigation before submitting a final report and recommendations to the House of Representatives.