NDC asks Tinubu to suspend Gbajabiamila over fake council scandal

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Femi Gbajabiamila over the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

In a statement issued on Friday, the opposition party said suspending Gbajabiamila would create room for what it described as an impartial investigation into allegations linked to the council, which the presidency has repeatedly insisted does not exist.

The statement, signed by Osa Director, the party’s national publicity secretary, said the claims made by Adeniyi Adeyemi, convener of the PFIPC, were serious enough to warrant an independent probe.

According to the NDC, documents allegedly showing a budgetary provision of over N1.3 billion for the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act, coupled with claims that the organisation operated multiple accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and secured approvals for hundreds of staff positions, raise critical questions that demand public clarification.

The opposition party also pointed to Adeyemi’s allegation that he paid N600 million to secure his appointment, with N400 million reportedly channelled through intermediaries, while N200 million remained outstanding.

It further referenced Adeyemi’s claims concerning the death of one of the alleged intermediaries and his assertion that he had survived multiple assassination attempts.

“The NDC believes this scandal further confirms that the current administration has entrenched and legitimised corruption as a way of governance in Nigeria,” the party said.

The party called for the immediate constitution of an independent panel to investigate the legal standing of the PFIPC, its reported budgetary allocation, financial transactions, bank accounts and staff approvals.

It 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 launch separate investigations into the matter.

In addition, the NDC said officials of the CBN, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should be invited for questioning as part of efforts to establish the facts.

“The culture of impunity and the brazen sale of public appointments must end. Anyone found culpable, no matter how highly placed, must be prosecuted,” the statement added.