PFIPC Probe: Okonkwo questions why NASS did not invite Gbajabiamila

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has criticised the National Assembly over its handling of the investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal.

Okonkwo accused the lawmakers of failing to question President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the purported Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, as part of the investigation.

In a post on X on Saturday, the former Nollywood actor described the reported conclusion of the investigation without hearing from the two men as a violation of the principles of natural justice.

“The purported conclusion of investigation of the criminality of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) without interrogating Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the DG of the agency, or Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff of the President, is a rape of justice and a caricature of the independence of the legislature,” he wrote.

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Okonkwo argued that an investigation should not reach conclusions without giving those accused an opportunity to respond to the allegations against them.

“Natural justice demands that you cannot condemn a man unheard. Any findings of the National Assembly that condemns the Prince or Femi without hearing from them is a nullity and will be laughable,” he added.

He also dismissed as “absurd” an explanation reportedly attributed to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, that Adeyemi could not be produced before the investigative hearing because of a court order remanding him in custody.

According to Okonkwo, the remand order should not prevent the National Assembly from exercising its constitutional oversight functions.

“The excuse that the IGP cannot produce Adeyemi because there is a court order remanding him in custody is another absurdity because the legislature is a separate arm of government that cannot be legitimately stopped from performing its constitutional duties by the order of another branch,” he said.

Okonkwo further questioned why Gbajabiamila, who is not in detention, was not invited to appear before the lawmakers.

“If Adeyemi is in detention, is Femi also in detention? Why did the National Assembly not question Femi, who is not in detention?” he asked.

The ADC chieftain went on to accuse the National Assembly of undermining public confidence in the legislative process, declaring that Nigerians should use the 2027 elections to demand accountability.

“This National Assembly has turned Nigeria into a joke. Nigerians should end this insanity in 2027 through their votes and by ensuring that their votes count,” he added.