The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council is under growing pressure to invite the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, as part of its probe.
Lawmakers have ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to produce the alleged promoter of the non-existent agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, for questioning on Wednesday.
The directive followed Monday’s hearing, during which the committee received testimonies from senior government officials, including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack; Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu; Central Bank of Nigeria official Hamisu Abdullahi; Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi; and Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi, who represented the Inspector-General of Police.
Adeyemi, who has been in police custody for over two weeks, is expected to appear before the panel.
Calls for Gbajabiamila’s Appearance
Fresh questions have emerged over why Gbajabiamila has not been invited, despite allegations linking him to the attempted establishment of the council.
A source close to the committee expressed concern that lawmakers missed the opportunity to press the police on key issues during Monday’s sitting. The source referenced claims that a middleman, Dolapo Tanimola, who allegedly received ₦400 million from Adeyemi to deliver to the Chief of Staff, died mysteriously in a fire at Kachi Hotel in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025. Days later, the hotel was reportedly demolished by armed individuals.
Political analyst Jackson Ojo criticised the committee, chaired by Plateau lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi, for not inviting Gbajabiamila from the outset.
“Apart from Adeyemi, the most important person to have on ground from Day One is Gbajabiamila. Why did they fail to invite him for questioning, if only to clear his name?” he asked.
HEDA Demands Accountability
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has called on the Chief of Staff to step aside pending the conclusion of investigations. The group also urged the committee to invite the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to explain the role of his office in the matter.
Key Revelations from Monday’s Hearing
During the session, the police confirmed receiving petitions from the Office of the Chief of Staff alleging that Adeyemi fraudulently presented himself as Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.
Investigators told lawmakers that Adeyemi allegedly used the purported office to:
- Secure accommodation within the Federal Secretariat
- Seek approval to recruit about 300 personnel
- Attempt to obtain a ₦1.32 billion budgetary allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act
- Plan a World Investment Summit under the platform of the non-existent agency
The committee revealed it had uncovered about 29 allegedly forged documents, including fake presidential approvals, counterfeit Acts of the National Assembly, and forged correspondence purportedly issued by the State House and other government agencies.
When signatures on disputed documents were compared with authentic State House correspondence, the police confirmed they did not match.
Accountant-General Shamseldeen Ogunjimi disclosed that the Treasury processed requests from the purported council after receiving what appeared to be an authentic letter from the State House dated November 7, 2024. The letter requested the creation of an administrative code for budgeting and financial reporting.
Although the Treasury created the code, Ogunjimi stressed that no public funds were released to the council under salaries, overhead, capital, or any special allocation. A request for a ₦27.4 billion establishment grant was also rejected due to the absence of budgetary provision.
He confirmed that investigations later established the State House letter was forged.
Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi insisted that Adeyemi’s appearance was necessary, stating that the reputations of individuals and institutions were at stake.
The committee resolved that the Inspector-General of Police should present Adeyemi before lawmakers by 12 noon on Wednesday.
The panel is expected to continue its investigation and recommend administrative, legislative, and possible criminal actions against those found culpable.