The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for a thorough investigation into the controversy surrounding Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the director of a non-existent government agency, and Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu. In a statement released on Friday, July 3, ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi named ten government institutions and officials that should be investigated immediately to uncover the full extent of the corruption network within the presidency.
Background of the Scandal
For months, Adeyemi has been parading himself as the Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an agency that the presidency insists does not exist. Photos of Adeyemi with prominent Nigerians have circulated online, but the presidency has denied appointing him to any such position. A lawsuit has been filed against Adeyemi amid the controversy. He has accused Gbajabiamila and other senior officials of demanding bribes and then attempting to frustrate his activities when he refused to comply.
ADC's Demand for Investigation
According to Abdullahi, the list of ten individuals and institutions was drawn from documentary evidence already in the public domain. The statement reads in part: “Based on the Presidency's own statement, and the documentary evidence already in the public domain, we have identified at least ten government individuals and institutions that must be investigated if we must unravel the mystery behind this major scandal that in saner climes would have ended so many people’s political careers.”
The List of Individuals and Institutions
The ADC identified the following for investigation:
- Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila
- Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi
- Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume
- Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack
- Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Tanimu Yakubu
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Office of the National Security Adviser
- Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force
- Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria
- Relevant oversight committees of the National Assembly, including the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, and the House of Representatives Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements
Impact and Next Steps
The ADC's call for investigation adds political pressure on the presidency to address the scandal transparently. The opposition party argues that a proper probe is necessary to restore public trust and hold accountable those involved in what they describe as a major corruption network. The presidency has not yet responded to the ADC's demands.
