PFIPC: Atiku demands probe, questions Gbajabiamila over N400m bribery claim

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an independent investigation into the alleged activities of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC, describing the controversy as one that requires a transparent public probe.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku’s media office questioned the Presidency’s explanation that the PFIPC was a non-existent or “ghost” Federal Government agency.

The development followed a disclaimer by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who described Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew and the organisation as fraudulent.

The statement raised several questions, including how the alleged agency reportedly operated from the Federal Secretariat under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation without detection.

It also queried reports that the PFIPC allegedly secured a budget code and a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 national budget, calling for an independent forensic investigation into the matter.

According to the statement, Prince Adeyemi reportedly met with senior government officials, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede, as well as diplomats, traditional rulers and prospective investors.

The Atiku Media Office argued that the alleged engagements suggest the organisation operated openly, making the Presidency’s description of it as a “ghost agency” difficult to reconcile with publicly available records.

The statement also called on the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other officials allegedly linked to the controversy to publicly account for their roles, insisting that a press statement was insufficient to address the allegations.

It further noted that the Presidency’s response did not address allegations that Prince Adeyemi claimed to have paid ₦400 million in bribes to Gbajabiamila, stressing that the claim should also be investigated.

“The Tinubu presidency cannot continue to be judges in cases involving themselves or their cronies. Nigerians are tired of a series of unresolved scandals under the watch of Tinubu.

“If justice must be seen to have been done, Prince Adeyemi’s situation should become a reference point. His trial must be swift and thorough. And key elements in the executive and legislature should be invited to state their roles in the high-wire scam.

“We demand a judicial foreclosure of this issue before the 2027 General Elections, in order to guard against a breach of public trust and voters apathy,” part osf the statement read.