₦1.3 Billion PFIPC Scandal: Senate Set For Showdown Over Controversial Project

The Senate is expected to address the controversy surrounding the ₦1.3 billion allocation to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) when lawmakers resume plenary on Tuesday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The development follows allegations that a forged appointment letter bearing the falsified signature of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, enabled Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew to establish and operate the purported council from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja for more than a year while presenting it as a legitimate government agency.

According to multiple Presidency and civil service sources familiar with the ongoing investigation, the alleged fraud was made possible by lapses in the Budget Office, the House of Representatives and the Civil Service Headquarters, which reportedly failed to properly verify the authenticity of the appointment documents.

Senate to Review Budget Allocation

Despite receiving a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act, sources said neither Adeyemi nor any representative of the council appeared before the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service to defend the proposed budget.

A National Assembly source disclosed that the allocation was allegedly introduced through a process that bypassed normal legislative scrutiny.

“It was not brought in as a stand-alone item. It was done collectively with others that came in directly from the Presidency. So there was no defence or oversight. I understand the Senate leadership will address the controversy on Tuesday to calm growing concerns and allegations of complicity by some presiding officers,” the source said.

Presidency Explains Appointment Process

Presidency officials maintained that the controversy originated from an alleged forged appointment letter issued in the name of the Chief of Staff.

One official explained that appointments into agencies under the Presidency are approved exclusively by the President, while appointment letters are formally issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

“The problem began because the appointment letter was fake. The Chief of Staff does not appoint heads of agencies. Every appointment follows a constitutional process involving presidential approval and an appointment letter from the SGF,” the source said.

The official added that all appointments under President Bola Tinubu follow a clearly defined procedure, making the purported appointment invalid from the outset.

How the Alleged Forgery Passed Official Checks

Another senior civil servant familiar with the investigation alleged that Adeyemi exploited weaknesses in the verification process by presenting a forged appointment letter.

According to the source, officials who processed the documentation failed to question why the appointment letter originated from the Chief of Staff instead of the SGF, allowing the purported council to secure office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat.

The source noted that operating from a federal government office gave the organisation an appearance of legitimacy, enabling it to use official letterheads, maintain a website and conduct activities without raising immediate suspicion.

Although the office was eventually sealed after Adeyemi’s arrest, the source claimed he continued operating from another location.

NIPC Allegedly Raised the Alarm

Another Presidency source said concerns were first raised by officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) after discovering that the council was carrying out functions similar to those of the commission.

According to the source, the matter was subsequently reported to the Chief of Staff, who allegedly denied knowing Adeyemi and referred the case to the Department of State Services (DSS) for investigation.

The official also claimed Gbajabiamila consistently denied any relationship with Adeyemi and actively followed up on the investigation until criminal charges were filed.

Questions Over Budget Approval

A separate Presidency official suggested that inadequate scrutiny within the National Assembly may have contributed to the council’s inclusion in the 2026 budget.

The source alleged that the purported agency may have secured the allocation by presenting itself as a legitimate government institution with an office, official documents and operational structure.

The official further claimed that Adeyemi had breached the conditions of his bail and could face further police action.

Civil Society, Opposition Demand Answers

The controversy has drawn reactions from civil society organisations and opposition figures.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has requested that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas release certified documents relating to the approval of the ₦1.3 billion allocation, including records identifying those who processed and approved it.

SERAP warned that it would institute legal proceedings if the requested documents were not released within seven days.

Similarly, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) called for a public inquiry, insisting Nigerians deserve to know how funds were appropriated for an entity the Presidency says was never lawfully established.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also criticised the Tinubu administration over the controversy, urging the President to order an independent investigation and ensure those responsible are held accountable.

Other groups, including a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, and the Kwankwasiyya Movement, have also demanded a comprehensive probe into the matter.

However, Deputy House Spokesman Philip Agbese urged Nigerians to allow the judicial process to take its course, while Senior Advocate of Nigeria Bankole Akomolafe argued that no individual should face prosecution without credible evidence.

Another senior lawyer, Sampson Erugo, called for investigators to widen the scope of the probe, insisting that multiple individuals and institutions should account for how the alleged council secured official recognition and budgetary allocation.

Adeyemi is expected to appear before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 27, 2026, alongside two alleged accomplices identified as Femi and Anu, who are currently at large.