The controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken a new turn, with police set to arraign its self-acclaimed Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, and two others over alleged forgery, impersonation and other offences.
The defendants are expected to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges filed by the police prosecutor, Wisdom Madaki.
The eight-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was filed on November 27, 2025. The case was earlier scheduled for June 16 but was adjourned after Adeyemi was reportedly indisposed.
Court documents listed Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede and Ituah Sylvester among the prosecution witnesses.
Other witnesses include civil servants from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, individuals allegedly posted to work with Adeyemi at the purported agency, a hotel owner and a church official.
The prosecution is expected to tender several documents, including its investigation report, a petition by Gbajabiamila dated October 17, 2025, and an alleged fake presidential appointment letter dated March 8, 2024.
Other documents listed include requests for a diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approvals allegedly obtained to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, a request for self-accounting submitted to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and documents purportedly approving the take-off of the PFIPC.
The case has also intensified calls for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the controversy.
Wale Adeoye, Executive Director of Journalists for Democratic Rights, urged the ICPC chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, to follow the evidence and investigate all allegations, including those involving Gbajabiamila.
However, former House of Representatives member Lanre Odubote defended Gbajabiamila and questioned some of Adeyemi’s allegations, noting that Adeyemi had reportedly admitted that he had never personally met the President’s Chief of Staff.
Meanwhile, Senator Kawu Sumaila has maintained his call for an investigation into how the purported agency’s budgetary allocation entered the national budget. He said the National Assembly must account for its role in scrutinising and approving budgetary provisions.
The Senate had earlier rejected Sumaila’s motion seeking a comprehensive investigation into the PFIPC’s budgetary allocation, operations and controversy.
President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Special Duties, Tunde Rahman, has also proposed reforms to prevent a recurrence. His suggestions include a budget integrity law, a public appointment verification portal, tighter access controls at the Federal Secretariat and stronger verification procedures for government-linked bank accounts.
The Archbishop of Ondo Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Akure Anglican Diocese, Most Revd Simeon Borokini, meanwhile, described the controversy as a reflection of deeper corruption concerns and called for anyone found culpable to be held accountable.