By Eric Elezuo

Tinubu has turned the presidency into a nest of fraudsters – ADC 

The Nigerian public woke this week to the shock of a revelation as to the extent of rot that has engulfed the Presidency, with special reference to the alleged tripatite fraud incident involving the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria (SGF), Senator George Akume and the man in the eye of the storm, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.

The scandal is the case of the supposedly ‘phoney’ of ‘fake’ federal agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and Presidential Economic Advisory Council, of which Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew is the Director-General.

While the Presidency insists that no such agency exists, Adeyemi Matthew maintains that the agency was legitimately established with all necessary and required protocol satisfied. The war of words that has resulted has left the Nigerian popula e bewildered with so many questions begging for answers.

According Prince Adeniyi Matthew, the agency, a legal entity, was established in 2024, and has been running hitchlessly until an issue of repayment of N200million out of a supposed N600 million demanded by the Chief of Staff Gbajabiamila as kickback for the establishment of the agency and appointment of Adeyemi. The now embattled DG claimed that he made a down payment of N400 million at inception, remaining the balance of N200 million.

Adeyemi had stubbornly maintained alleged that Gbajabiamila was connected with his ‘appointment’ as well as making financial demands, part of which he paid. On the other hand, Gbajabiamila, supported by the Presidency, has denied all involvement, insisting that Adeyemi is a ‘con artist’, and that the agency never existed, and not known to the federal government of Nigeria. This has raised a huge can of worms that has seem difficult to control.

Nigerians have variously wondered how an agency said to be unknown to law found its way to office accommodation at the Secretariat, opened a Central Bank account,  and has an approved allocation in the 2026 Budget passed by the National Assembly, comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the man alleged to have forged the government appointment letters and falsely paraded himself as the Director-General of the alleged agency, has remained steadfast in his denials, claiming the Presidency is attempting to shut him up.

While speaking with PREMIUM TIMES from an undisclosed location, Adeyemi insisted he had done nothing wrong and described the government’s actions as a “defence mechanism,” while refusing to disclose his location as he claimed his life was in danger.

He said, “You know the government we have. They are just playing a defence mechanism to shut me up. My organisation was set up in 2024.

“They are now after my life. I have gone into hiding. I’m underground,” he said.

When asked whether he had fled the country, he declined to respond directly.

“I will not be able to disclose any information now. I don’t consider myself safe,” he added.

The embattled DG turned suspect also declined to provide his alleged appointment letter or any document to support his claim that he was legitimately appointed, saying his lawyers had advised him not to discuss the matter publicly.

“I just decided to speak to you out of respect. My lawyers are working on something. Whatever they say, I will let you know,” he said.

Responding, the Presidency accused Adeyemi of forging appointment letters and other official documents while falsely presenting himself as Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, agencies it insists do not exist.

Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said Adeyemi and two others have been charged before the Federal High Court on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and related offences.

According to the Presidency, concerns first emerged after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission reported that another body appeared to be performing functions similar to its statutory responsibilities.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, subsequently petitioned the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force, alleging that forged appointment letters bearing fake signatures, official seals and reference numbers had been used to create the impression that the suspects were presidential appointees.

The Presidency said investigations revealed that Adeyemi and his associates allegedly operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, held meetings with Nigerian and foreign officials and sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for visa applications.

According to the Presidency, police arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, after which searches conducted at his office and residence allegedly yielded forged government documents.

Investigators also alleged that financial intelligence uncovered 34 bank accounts linked to Adeyemi, including accounts allegedly opened in the names of purported government agencies.

The Presidency further claimed that Adeyemi used forged documents to open an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the name of the alleged agency, although investigators found that no public funds were paid into the account.

The case is scheduled to come up before the Federal High Court on July 27.

The Presidency, in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Adeyemi as “a con artist” who allegedly used forged appointment letters bearing the name of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to create and operate a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, later referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

According to the statement, the alleged scam was uncovered after officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council raised concerns that another purported government agency appeared to be operating alongside it.

The Office of the Chief of Staff subsequently alerted security agencies, accusing unnamed individuals of forging official appointment letters purportedly issued from his office.

“The attention of this office has been drawn to the activities of certain individuals and groups engaged in the forgery of official appointment letters purportedly issued from my office,” Gbajabiamila said in a petition dated October 17.

“The fake documents, bearing falsified signatures, reference/folio numbers, and seals, have been used to claim leadership appointments to non-existent entities, with particular reference to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.”

The Chief of Staff disclosed that Adeyemi had allegedly established an office at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, where he reportedly hosted meetings with Nigerians and foreign nationals while presenting himself as the Director-General of the fictitious agency.

According to the petition, the group even sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visas for its purported staff.

“The above development not only constitutes a serious criminal act but also undermines the integrity of the Presidency and the credibility of official government communication,” Gbajabiamila wrote.

“I therefore urge you to initiate a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend those involved and also to uncover the network facilitating the forgery.”

Foreign Affairs Ministry raises red flag

The statement revealed that concerns over Adeyemi’s activities had also reached the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs after he reportedly convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Abuja on October 10, 2025, without the ministry’s knowledge.

In a letter dated October 15, 2025, signed by Ambassador Anderson Madubuike and addressed to the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Chief of Staff, the ministry sought clarification regarding the status of the purported agency.

“This act contravenes extant rules and regulations guiding diplomatic practices globally,” the ministry stated.

The enquiries triggered correspondence among the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff.

Responding to the enquiries, Gbajabiamila categorically denied appointing Adeyemi or recognising the agency.

“Prince Adeniyi Matthew, Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, is unknown to any office, nor do we have any dealings with the said council,” he wrote.

“My attention was drawn to a letter of this purported application, which is fake, and my office has instructed the police and other relevant security agencies to carry out investigations on the person and the entity he claims to represent.”

The Presidency stressed that the Chief of Staff could not have issued any appointment letter because appointments into government offices are the exclusive responsibility of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Police uncover alleged forgery network

Following the petition, the Police launched an investigation and arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, at the Abuja office from where he allegedly operated the scheme.

Searches conducted at both his office and residence in Suleja reportedly yielded several documents and exhibits believed to be connected with the operation.

Investigators said Adeyemi claimed that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola assisted him in procuring the forged appointment letter.

However, police investigations established that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Abuja on October 22, 2025, five days before Adeyemi’s arrest.

According to the State House, investigators established that the agency Adeyemi claimed to head never existed, while the appointment letters and several official documents recovered during the investigation were allegedly forged.

Police also accused him of falsely presenting himself as a presidential appointee and fraudulently requesting a diplomatic note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate visa applications for himself and members of his organisation.

Investigators further alleged that Adeyemi operated no fewer than 34 bank accounts, including nine accounts opened in the names of fictitious organisations, including the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP).

The investigation also found that he allegedly succeeded in opening a Central Bank of Nigeria account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation using forged documents.

The Presidency, however, noted that investigators confirmed no government funds were ever paid into the account.

“The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community,” the police report stated.

Eight-count charge filed

Based on the outcome of the investigation, police filed an eight-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against Adeyemi and two alleged accomplices on November 27, 2025.

The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 27.

According to the Presidency, Adeyemi, while on police bail, recently resurfaced with fresh claims that the Chief of Staff had genuinely appointed him as Director-General of the agency.

The statement noted that the claim directly contradicted the statement he voluntarily made to investigators during the police probe.

It said the renewed allegation prompted Gbajabiamila to issue another public disclaimer on June 8, reaffirming that Adeyemi was an impostor.

Presidency urges caution

The Presidency said Adeyemi had a history of alleged fraudulent misrepresentation, recalling that in 2016 he allegedly presented himself as President-General of the World Youth Organisation, claiming it was affiliated with the United Nations before the UN reportedly disowned the organisation.

Describing the case as that of “a con artist who appears to have built a web of false claims to deceive unsuspecting government officials and the public,” the Presidency urged politicians and members of the public to avoid drawing conclusions before the ongoing criminal trial is concluded.

It further advised that, since the matter is before the court, interested parties should allow the judicial process to determine the allegations against Adeyemi and his co-defendants.

ADC DEMANDS JUDICIAL INQUIRY

The opposition party, in a statement issued on Friday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the scandal.

The ADC noted that the allegations surrounding the PFIPC and claims of bribery involving the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, go beyond individual wrongdoing and strike at the core of Nigeria’s governance and institutional integrity.

The party said it has reviewed the Presidency’s July 1 response to the controversy, issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, but maintained that the government’s explanation raised more questions than answers.

According to the ADC, “Rather than provide answers to the raging questions on this scandal, the statement has instead left more questions.”

“If anything, it actually exposed the staggering depth of institutional decay under the APC-led administration of President Bola Tinubu, suggesting that under Tinubu’s watch, the Presidency may have become a nest of fraudsters,” Abdullahi stated.

The opposition party further alleged that the Presidency’s focus on defending Gbajabiamila, instead of explaining how a supposedly non-existent government body allegedly operated across multiple federal institutions, indicated either complicity or gross incompetence.

The ADC argued that by the Presidency’s own admission, the PFIPC was described as a “fictitious” organisation, yet it allegedly interacted with ministries, corresponded with government agencies, engaged foreign diplomats, secured official recognitions, and left behind official documentation.

According to the party, the implications extend beyond allegations against a single official and raise serious concerns about Nigeria’s national security and governance structures.

The party called for investigations into at least ten individuals and institutions, insisting that only a comprehensive inquiry could uncover the full scope of the alleged scandal.

Among those listed were; Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, whom the party said must be investigated over documents allegedly issued from his office and public claims that he received bribes ranging between N200million and N600million from Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.

The ADC also demanded an investigation into Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi to determine his alleged role in creating and promoting the PFIPC, verify the authenticity of documents linked to the organisation, and examine claims that payments were allegedly made to senior government officials.

The party also demanded that Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Didi Esther Walson-Jack; Director-General of the Budget Office Tanimu Yakubu; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Office of the National Security Adviser; the Department of State Services (DSS); the Nigeria Police Force; the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation; the Central Bank of Nigeria; and relevant oversight committees of the National Assembly be probed.

According to the ADC, the institutions must explain how an organisation, the Presidency now claims never existed, allegedly obtained recruitment approvals, budgetary allocations, diplomatic engagements, and official recognition.

The party called for the immediate establishment of an independent Judicial Panel of Inquiry with powers to summon witnesses, compel the production of official documents, and determine whether negligence, abuse of office, collusion or criminal conduct occurred.

“This matter must not be swept under the Presidential red carpet,” the opposition party declared.

The ADC argued that if the PFIPC was indeed fictitious, Nigerians deserved to know how it allegedly secured recruitment approvals for over 300 civil servants, appeared in the 2026 budget, conducted official correspondence and interacted with multiple government institutions.

It added that if the Presidency’s claim was false and the PFIPC was a legitimate agency, Nigerians equally deserved an explanation for why the government was allegedly disowning it to shield senior officials from allegations of bribery.

The opposition party insisted, “These are serious questions that cannot be answered by press statements, selective denials, or criminal prosecutions alone.”

The ADC also accused the Tinubu administration of applying different standards in the fight against corruption.

The party noted that federal anti-corruption and security agencies, including the ICPC, DSS and EFCC, were swiftly deployed over allegations involving former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, but no similar action had been taken against Gbajabiamila despite the seriousness of the allegations.

“This glaring double standard undermines public confidence and reinforces the perception that there is one standard of accountability for political opponents, and another for those within the inner circle of power,” Abdullahi stated.

The party urged President Tinubu to immediately establish an independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry chaired by respected Nigerians to investigate every aspect of the PFIPC controversy.

It warned that failure to conduct a transparent investigation would reinforce public perceptions that the administration was unwilling to confront corruption allegations involving powerful government officials.

The ADC further vowed that should the current administration fail to investigate the matter, the PFIPC scandal would become “one of the very first accountability priorities of an ADC-led government.”

The party also warned all officials allegedly connected to the controversy that every approval, financial transaction, budgetary allocation, and official correspondence linked to the PFIPC would face scrutiny under any future ADC administration.

“There will be no sacred cows, no untouchables, and no hiding place for corruption,” the party stressed.

ATIKU ABUBAKAR ISSUES 7-DAYS ULTIMATUM

Presidential candidate of the ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has issued a seven-day ultimatum President Bola Tinubu to order an independent investigation into the alleged PFIPC fraud, warning that failure to act could suggest complicity.

Atiku said the scandal, involving claims of a fake agency, budgetary allocations, and recruitment processes, raises serious concerns about institutional failures rather than just individual wrongdoing.

NDC DEMANDS SACK OF FEMI GBAJABIAMILA 

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) also called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately remove Gbajabiamila, over the allegations.

In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the opposition party described the allegations as grave and said Gbajabiamila’s continued stay in office could compromise any credible investigation into the matter.

According to the party, the allegations raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability and integrity within the Tinubu administration.

The NDC alleged that despite the Presidency’s denial of the agency’s existence, the PFIPC purportedly secured budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and opened a domiciliary account, a Pound Sterling account and a Treasury Single Account (TSA) domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The party questioned how an agency described as non-existent could allegedly establish multiple high-level government financial accounts without official approval or the required documentation.

It also called on the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to explain whether forged documents were used in processing the accounts.

The statement further alleged that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation approved 314 staff positions for the purported agency, describing the development as another issue requiring urgent explanation.

According to the NDC, the allegations also include claims that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant, reportedly valued at N27.39 billion, a request Adeyemi allegedly rejected.

The party also cited Adeyemi’s claim that he secured his appointment through the Chief of Staff after allegedly paying N600 million, of which N400 million was allegedly paid through proxies, while N200 million remained outstanding.

It said the alleged unpaid balance reportedly contributed to the Presidency’s subsequent denial of the agency’s existence.

The NDC further alleged that the claims point to a wider pattern of institutional corruption, including the alleged sale of public appointments.

The party also linked the controversy to the death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom it described as an intermediary between Adeyemi and the Chief of Staff.

According to the statement, Tanimola reportedly died in a fire incident at a hotel in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after the police reportedly received a petition from the Chief of Staff.

The NDC also referenced Adeyemi’s claims that he survived multiple assassination attempts, including an attack along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on September 7, 2025, and alleged that certain individuals within government are plotting to eliminate him.

It also called on President Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine the alleged operations of the PFIPC, including its budgetary allocations, financial transactions, account openings and staff recruitment.

The NDC further urged investigators to probe the circumstances surrounding Tanimola’s death and the alleged assassination attempts on Adeyemi, while recommending that Adeyemi be granted witness protection.

The party also demanded that the Chief of Staff produce all official documents signed since assuming office for forensic examination.

In addition, it called for the questioning of officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation over their alleged roles in the matter.

The opposition party also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force to commence what it described as a thorough investigation without fear or favour.

“The NDC will not accept the usual tactic of issuing a mere defensive press release from the Presidency as a deflective ploy. Nigerians deserve to know the truth through a transparent process that promotes fairness and justice,” the statement said.

INTERNAL CO-CONSPIRATORS FINGERED

On his part, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Public Affairs, has fingered possible involvement of internal collaborators in the fake agency scandal.

“Well, it’s not impossible, because even the audacity to go and operate inside the government federal secretariat is enough to suggest anything could have gone at some point.

“We don’t know how he was able to get a forged letter of appointment by the Chief of Staff to the president.

“We all know appointments into agencies or extra ministerial positions are done by the president exclusively,” he said.

Today, Nigerians are divided among those supporting the Presidency and those calling for a sanction against the principal actors; Gbajabiamila and Akume.

Nigerians maintain that the scandal must be investigated to the last evidence, and not swept underneath the carpet.

The alleged scandal is one of many can of worms that has plagued the Tinubu administration since 2023. The public awaits the outcome of investigations.

The long drawn legal tussle between FirstBank of Nigeria Limited and General Hydrocarbons Limited over the ownership of the crude oil aboard the FPSO Tamara Tokoni, may have come to a conclusive end as the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered its judgment.

The Apex Court, on Friday, ordered the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal and the Admiralty Marshal to immediately hand over the crude oil aboard the FPSO Tamara Tokoni to General Hydrocarbons Limited (GHL), bringing to an end a legal dispute over the asset.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel of justices, the apex court held that the suit instituted by First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) was contractual in nature and not an admiralty matter.

The court consequently ruled that both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.

The Supreme Court accordingly allowed the appeal filed by General Hydrocarbons Limited and set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, describing it as perverse.

Justice Abiru, who read the lead judgment, announced the unanimous decision of the panel comprising Justices Uwani Aba-Aji, Salawa, Agim, Uwa and Abiru.

Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the man alleged to have forged government appointment letters and falsely paraded himself as the Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and Presidential Economic Advisory Council, has denied the allegations against him, claiming the Presidency is attempting to silence him.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES from an undisclosed location on Thursday, Adeyemi insisted he had done nothing wrong and described the government’s actions as a “defence mechanism.”

“You know the government we have. They are just playing a defence mechanism to shut me up. My organisation was set up in 2024,” he said.

Adeyemi declined to disclose his whereabouts, saying he had gone into hiding because his life was under threat.

“They are now after my life. I have gone into hiding. I’m underground,” he said.

When asked whether he had fled the country, he declined to respond directly.

“I will not be able to disclose any information now. I don’t consider myself safe,” he added.

The embattled suspect also declined to provide his alleged appointment letter or any document to support his claim that he was legitimately appointed, saying his lawyers had advised him not to discuss the matter publicly.

“I just decided to speak to you out of respect. My lawyers are working on something. Whatever they say, I will let you know,” he said.

The Presidency has accused Adeyemi of forging appointment letters and other official documents while falsely presenting himself as Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, agencies it insists do not exist.

Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said Adeyemi and two others have been charged before the Federal High Court on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and related offences.

According to the Presidency, concerns first emerged after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission reported that another body appeared to be performing functions similar to its statutory responsibilities.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, subsequently petitioned the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force, alleging that forged appointment letters bearing fake signatures, official seals and reference numbers had been used to create the impression that the suspects were presidential appointees.

The Presidency said investigations revealed that Adeyemi and his associates allegedly operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, held meetings with Nigerian and foreign officials and sought diplomatic support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for visa applications.

According to the Presidency, police arrested Adeyemi on October 27, 2025, after which searches conducted at his office and residence allegedly yielded forged government documents.

Investigators also alleged that financial intelligence uncovered 34 bank accounts linked to Adeyemi, including accounts allegedly opened in the names of purported government agencies.

The Presidency further claimed that Adeyemi used forged documents to open an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the name of the alleged agency, although investigators found that no public funds were paid into the account.

The case is scheduled to come up before the Federal High Court on July 27.