PFIPC scandal: Stop running your administration like the Mafia – Lawyer knocks Tinubu

Activist lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam on Saturday charged President Bola Tinubu to rid his administration of what he termed “semblance of mafia-styled governance”.

Idam said concerns are raised when Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, CoS, Femi Gbajabiamila is accused of colluding with external forces to establish a government agency with the aim of channeling allocations without due authorization.

Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claimed to be the Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, and Presidential Economic Advisory Council, has been linked to a fraudulent activity with Gbajabiamila.

Adeyemi, who is facing charges over alleged conspiracy, forgery and impersonation, claimed that the PFIPC received budgetary allocations in the 2026 budget and successfully established a Domiciliary Account, a Pounds Sterling Account, and a Treasury Single Account, TSA, all held with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Adeyemi claimed that he secured his appointment through Gbajabiamila for the sum of N600 million, with N400 million allegedly paid through proxies to the Chief of Staff, with a balance of N200 million outstanding.

Reacting, Idam said the leadership of the National Assembly should resign for being rubber-stamp legislators if the allegations are true.

In a statement he signed, the activist lawyer said: “President Tinubu’s administration must rid itself of every semblance of mafia-style governance. It raises serious constitutional concerns when a Chief of Staff of a government institution allegedly conspires or colludes with external interests to establish an entity in the name of a government agency and channels public funds or government allocations through it without any legislative authorization.

“If these allegations are true, then the leadership of the National Assembly may honourably consider resigning for failing in its constitutional oversight responsibility to scrutinize and approve public expenditures before they are implemented.

“A rubber-stamp legislature poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s institutional integrity, constitutional democracy, and the rule of law.

“Public institutions must operate strictly within the limits of the Constitution and the statutes establishing them. It is deeply troubling for any government agency or public expenditure to exist or function outside the authority expressly granted by law.

“Such practices, if established, undermine public accountability, erode confidence in governance, and offend the principles of constitutionalism.”