The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate suspension of Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, over allegations linking him to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
In a statement issued on Friday by Osa Director, its national publicity secretary, the opposition party urged President Bola Tinubu to remove the chief of staff pending the outcome of an independent inquiry into the alleged activities of the PFIPC, an organisation the Presidency has reportedly disowned.
The NDC said the controversy has raised serious concerns about transparency, accountability and governance, alleging that the purported agency secured allocations in the 2026 federal budget despite claims that it does not officially exist.
According to the party, the alleged agency was also able to open several accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, including a domiciliary account, a Pound Sterling account and a Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The party questioned how an agency reportedly unknown to the Presidency could gain access to such financial platforms without official authorisation, arguing that the development points to possible institutional failures within key government agencies.
The NDC also alleged that the office of the head of the civil service approved 314 staff positions for the organisation, insisting that such approvals could not have been granted without the knowledge of senior government officials.
The party further cited claims by Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who identifies himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC, alleging that he obtained the appointment through financial dealings involving senior government figures.
According to the NDC, Adeyemi also alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant, estimated at more than ₦27 billion.
Describing the allegations as grave, the party said they warranted an impartial investigation rather than official denials.
The NDC also referenced the death of Babatunde Tanimola, described as an intermediary in the alleged dealings, who reportedly died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, in October 2025 shortly after a petition relating to the matter was allegedly submitted to the police.
It further noted Adeyemi’s claims that he had survived multiple attempts on his life, including an alleged attack along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, adding that the circumstances surrounding the allegations required urgent attention.
The opposition party urged President Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine all aspects of the controversy, including the alleged budgetary allocations, financial accounts, staff approvals and related transactions linked to the PFIPC.
It also called on investigators to probe the circumstances surrounding Tanimola’s death and the reported threats against Adeyemi, while recommending that Adeyemi be placed under witness protection throughout the investigation.
In addition, the party urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to launch separate investigations into the allegations.
The NDC maintained that Nigerians deserve full accountability and insisted that anyone found culpable, regardless of position, should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.