Police arrest PFIPC DG’s father as calls mount for Gbajabiamila’s sack

The controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken another dramatic turn, with police reportedly arresting the father of its embattled Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, even as fresh calls mount for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the unfolding saga.

The latest development came as the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) clarified that the controversial council never operated a functional account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and did not receive any government funds, despite its inclusion in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

According to reports, police operatives stormed Adeyemi’s family residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, where they arrested his father alongside a family friend.

The arrest has generated criticism from legal practitioners and rights advocates.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), condemned the action, arguing that there is no legal basis for arresting relatives of a suspect.

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“The father has been arrested. There is no legal basis for substituted arrests. The young man has promised to show up in court, so why arrest his father?” Falana queried.

Residents of the neighbourhood confirmed that police officers arrived in several vehicles before taking Adeyemi’s father into custody, while his mother was reportedly left in shock.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the matter was under investigation by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Force Headquarters, Abuja, and therefore fell outside the command’s jurisdiction.

He advised journalists to seek official information from the Force Public Relations Officer or the FCID.

OAGF Clarifies CBN Account Controversy

Amid the controversy, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation dismissed claims that the PFIPC successfully opened and operated a Central Bank of Nigeria account.

The clarification followed an earlier statement by the Presidency alleging that Adeyemi used forged documents to fraudulently initiate the opening of a CBN account, although no government funds were transferred into it.

Speaking on behalf of the OAGF, the Director of Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, explained that while an application to open the account was initiated after Adeyemi presented an appointment letter linked to an existing government agency, the process was never completed because the required authorised signatories were not submitted.

“The account has not seen the light of day. It has not received one kobo because it was never fully activated. The Accountant-General has not released any money because there is no operational account for such payment,” Mokwa said.

He explained that although the council appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act, budgetary allocation alone does not amount to the release of public funds.

No Salaries Paid, Says Accountant-General’s Office

The OAGF also denied reports that salaries had been paid to workers of the council.

Mokwa explained that no federal agency can recruit personnel or process salary payments without obtaining approvals from the Federal Character Commission, the Budget Office and the Federal Civil Service Commission before staff are enrolled on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

According to him, none of those statutory conditions had been fulfilled by the PFIPC.

He added that although some officers had earlier been deployed from the Office of the Accountant-General to the council, they were not recruited by Adeyemi and would now serve as prosecution witnesses in the ongoing case.

Calls Grow for Gbajabiamila’s Removal

As the controversy continues to dominate national discourse, some political stakeholders, opposition figures and civil society organisations have intensified calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to relieve the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of his duties pending an independent investigation.

Those making the demand argue that, since the Office of the Chief of Staff petitioned security agencies over the alleged fake council and has remained central to the controversy, an independent inquiry should establish how the council allegedly operated, appeared in official government records and secured a budgetary allocation despite the Presidency’s insistence that it never existed.

They maintain that such a step would strengthen public confidence in the investigation and demonstrate the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

However, the Presidency has consistently maintained that Gbajabiamila committed no wrongdoing and has dismissed allegations linking him to the controversy.

Background to the PFIPC Controversy

The Presidency has maintained that the PFIPC was never legally established under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and described Adeyemi as an impostor facing charges bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the Presidency, the controversy began after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) raised concerns that the purported council was performing functions similar to those of the commission.

The Office of the Chief of Staff subsequently petitioned security agencies, alleging that appointment letters and other official Presidency documents had been forged.

However, the controversy assumed a new dimension after the 2026 Appropriation Act listed the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council under the Presidency with a budgetary allocation of ₦1.302 billion, comprising ₦802.98 million for personnel costs, ₦200 million for overhead expenditure and ₦300 million for capital projects.

The inclusion has triggered widespread public debate over Nigeria’s budgeting and administrative processes, with many questioning how an agency the Presidency describes as non-existent appeared in the national budget.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi have separately called for an independent investigation into the matter.

The PFIPC controversy has continued to generate national attention, shifting public focus beyond the criminal allegations against Adeyemi to broader concerns about institutional accountability, transparency and governance within the Federal Government.

(Vanguard)