The N400m Bribe Allegation Against Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila
Controversy continues to trail the status of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. The council is also known as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
Ejes Gist News reports that a fierce dispute has erupted between the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi. Prince Adeyemi claims to be the Director General of the council.
Mr Gbajabiamila has issued a strong disclaimer. He says the council does not exist. Prince Adeyemi insists it does.
Ejes Gist News understands that Prince Adeyemi has now been warned to stop speaking to the media on the matter. A source close to him confirmed this. The source said the instruction came from “above.”
The Disputed Council
The council’s website, www.pfipc.gov.ng, is currently inactive. Its Instagram page describes its mandate. It says the council is for “Facilitating global partnerships & foreign investment into Nigeria.”
Ejes Gist News could not find any official statement announcing Prince Adeyemi’s appointment. This is unusual. The Presidency or the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation typically issues such announcements.
The Presidency has not responded to inquiries on the matter. The National Assembly has also remained silent. Messages sent to their spokespersons since last weekend have gone unanswered.
BREAKING: Delta Assembly Sacks Lawmaker Over Defection to NDC
Tinubu’s Chief of Staff Gbajabiamila’s Disclaimer
Mr Gbajabiamila issued his disclaimer on 11 June 2026. He dismissed the council’s existence entirely.
“It has come to the notice of the Federal Government of Nigeria and specifically the Office of the Chief of Staff to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR that a certain Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, under the auspices of an alleged organisation styled as the ‘Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council’ is portraying himself to the general public, as having been appointed by my office,” the statement read.
It went further. “The unsuspecting public is hereby advised to note that such an office does not exist under this administration and no appointment has been made in that regard.”
The statement also warned foreign missions, financial institutions, and security agencies to take note.
Adeyemi Fires Back
Prince Adeyemi held a press conference in Abuja last Thursday. The date coincided with Mr Gbajabiamila’s birthday.
He rejected the disclaimer in strong terms. He said he needed to clear what he called a cloud of public misrepresentation.
“I reject outright any attempt to reduce this matter to simple denials without addressing the core questions that Nigerians are now asking,” he said. “The issue is no longer about personalities. It is about contradictions that demand answers.”
He directed sharp words at the Chief of Staff. “This claim of the Chief of Staff to the President, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, that he doesn’t know about the existence of the agency is derisory. In the real world, he should cover his face in shame.”
He went further. “If Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, who is supposed to be the Chief of Staff to the President and also the administrative gateway to the Presidency, can make such an administrative error, by allowing the president to sign a document with a fake agency in it, he should possibly resign his appointment now.”
The Budget Question
Prince Adeyemi raised a critical question. How did the council appear in the 2026 budget if it does not exist?
Ejes Gist News can confirm that the council is indeed captured in the budget. It appears on pages 50 and 51. It has an allocation of N1,302,978,784.
The breakdown is as follows:
-
Recurrent expenditure: N1,002,978,784
-
Capital expenditure: N300,000,000
Specific line items include:
-
Salary: N573,260,187
-
Allowances and social contribution: N229,718,596
-
Logistics for World Investment Summit 2026: N182,500,000
-
Strategic negotiation for investment professionals: N11,000,000
-
Negotiation and leadership: N10,000,000
Prince Adeyemi made his point forcefully. “The national budget does not emerge in isolation. It passes through multiple layers of technical drafting, executive coordination, ministerial inputs, budget office review, and finally legislative scrutiny by both chambers of the National Assembly.”
He noted that Mr Gbajabiamila served in the National Assembly for 20 years. He rose from Minority Leader to Speaker.
“So the question becomes unavoidable: at what point in this process did references to a non-existent agency allegedly enter the official record?” he asked.
TSA Account and Office Space
Prince Adeyemi made further claims. He said the council has a domiciliary account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. He also said it operates a Treasury Single Account.
“Please note that the process of opening an account with the CBN starts from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation,” he stated.
He challenged Mr Gbajabiamila’s position. “The CoS is telling the Accountant General of the Federation, his pools of directors, deputy directors, assistant directors and other professional experts in his office, that they are sit-down-look civil servants not to have detected forged documents.”
He also questioned how the agency secured office space. “How did the agency get an office space at the Federal Secretariat and operate for over a year? These are not trivial matters but questions on the sensitivity of governance, accountability, and public trust.”
Bribery Allegations
Prince Adeyemi made explosive allegations. He claimed he fell out with Mr Gbajabiamila over money.
He alleged that the former Speaker demanded 48 per cent of a N27,395,510,136 take-off grant meant for the agency. He said he refused.
He further alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila collected N400 million by proxy. The purpose, he claimed, was to secure his appointment as head of the agency. He said a balance of N200 million remains unpaid.
Ejes Gist News cannot independently verify these claims.
Calls for Investigation
Prince Adeyemi urged President Tinubu to act. He called for an independent investigative panel.
He wants the panel to compel the Chief of Staff to produce all official documents he has signed. These should undergo forensic analysis. He also wants budgetary references and institutional records reviewed.
He further alleged assassination attempts on his life. He asked the panel to investigate this. He called for Mr Gbajabiamila to step aside pending the outcome of the probe.
He said the panel should include credible civil society organisations. International organisations should also be involved. The findings, he insisted, must be made public.
“I remain willing to cooperate fully with any lawful inquiry. If I am wrong, let an independent process prove it. If Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is right, let me confirm it,” he stated.
Adeyemi Goes Silent
Ejes Gist News made several attempts to get further details from Prince Adeyemi. These efforts met a brick wall.
When contacted on Monday, he asked our correspondent to call back the following day. On Tuesday, he said he was in transit and asked to be called back in two hours. Later, he said he was in a meeting and promised to call back. He did not. Subsequent calls to his line went unanswered.
A source close to him told Ejes Gist News what happened. “They have asked him from ‘above’ to refrain from the media for now. He has made some allegations; let them respond. They should be the ones responding now. He is observing if the presidency would take action or not.”
Official Engagements
Ejes Gist News findings show that Prince Adeyemi held several official engagements. He acted in his capacity as the council’s ‘DG.’
He met with heads of government agencies. He also engaged global partners.
On 4 September 2025, he visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters in Abuja. He announced a partnership to drive foreign direct investment. He was received by the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
“We must find a balance between the fight against corruption and the sustenance of investment and attraction to foreign direct investments,” Mr Olukoyede said at the time.
That same month, Prince Adeyemi led his team to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. He briefed the commission on the upcoming World Investment Summit. He was welcomed by the Commissioner for Corporate Services, Nathan Shatti.
In June 2025, he received a delegation from the China Investment Business Development Commission. The delegation was led by its Chairman, Daniel Zhang. They discussed the establishment of the Nigeria-China Investment Group. The platform would be co-owned by Nigerian and Chinese stakeholders
Presidency and National Assembly Keep Mum
Ejes Gist News sought reactions from the Presidency. These efforts were unsuccessful.
Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, could not be reached. Mr Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications, also did not respond. Messages sent to both men, including WhatsApp texts, had not been replied to as at the time of filing this report.
The Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, also remained silent. He did not respond to WhatsApp messages sent since Sunday. He did not pick up calls either.
However, a source close to the Senate Committee on Appropriations spoke to Ejes Gist News. The source explained the budget process.
“It is nearly impossible for funds to be approved for non-existent federal government agencies or bodies,” the source said. “All the funds allocated to the agencies were defended by the heads of such agencies before the relevant Senate committees. The reports of these committees will be put together and brought for passage during the plenary.”
The spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akin Rotimi, did not respond to calls or messages.
Budget Office Speaks
The spokesperson for the Budget Office of the Federation, Afolabi Olajuwon, could not be reached. Messages and calls to his phone did not go through.
However, a source in the office spoke to Ejes Gist News. The source requested anonymity as he is not authorised to speak with the media.
“The 2026 budget is an instrument of the federal government,” the source said. “All government agencies in the document are recognised agencies.”
The source explained the budget’s journey. “The budget document comes from the ministries and from the National Assembly, so the budget office has nothing to do with it. We all know that the budget still has to pass through the National Assembly as well as the Presidency, so it will be scrutinised adequately.”
The source suggested the dispute was political. “The problem between the Chief of Staff to the President and the head of the PFIPC is a political fight so they know where it started and how they will resolve it. So, it is the National Assembly or the Presidency that can answer the question on whether the agency is recognised or how it got into the 2026 budget
Atiku Weighs In
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the allegations. He is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Media Office, he described the matter as a national scandal. He urged President Tinubu to lead by example.
“Good governance is based on transparency and accountability and you can’t achieve that by protecting your family and friends,” the statement read. “President Tinubu must lead by example by holding his Chief of Staff to the same standards of accountability as other public officials.”
He added: “The rule of law must prevail in this issue. Let President Tinubu prove to Nigerians that he is sincerely committed to accountability in his administration.”
Coalition Defends Gbajabiamila
A coalition of groups has faulted the criticism against the Tinubu’s Chief of Staff . They described it as destructive.
The coalition comprises Concerned Nigerians in Diaspora United Kingdom, Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria, and Assembly of Lagos Youths.
Their position was contained in a joint statement. It was signed by US-based public affairs commentator Kofo Williams, Chairman of Concerned Nigerians in Diaspora United Kingdom Abanikanda Olumoro, Convener of the Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria Alhaji Ibrahim Barkindo Chubado, and leader of the Assembly of Lagos Youths Lasisi Robert.
The groups described the allegations as unverified. They said the claims were aimed at tarnishing the former Speaker’s image.
“Public service, particularly at the highest levels of government, often comes with intense scrutiny, criticism, and, at times, outright accusations. While accountability remains a cornerstone of democratic governance, it is equally important that public discourse is guided by facts, evidence, and due process rather than speculation or political grandstanding,” the statement read in part.
The N400m Bribe Allegation Against Tinubu’s Chief of Staff is a developing story. Ejes Gist News will provide updates as events unfold
