PFIPC Scandal: Gbajabiamila should step aside to ensure credible probe — Laolu Akande

Former presidential spokesman, Laolu Akande, has called on the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, to step aside to allow for what he described as a credible and transparent investigation into the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Akande made the call on Thursday while speaking during Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, following the arrest of the self-acclaimed Director-General of the controversial council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.

He argued that allowing officials mentioned in the unfolding controversy to remain in office could undermine public confidence in the Federal Government’s investigation into the alleged fake agency.

According to Akande, Gbajabiamila owes it to himself, his family, President Tinubu and Nigerians to temporarily step aside while investigations continue.

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“Gbajabiamila holds it to himself, his family, the President and Nigerians, to step aside. It is just the common human decent thing to do,” he said.

Akande noted that Adeyemi had claimed he knew nothing about the inclusion of the alleged “fake” agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act, stressing that while he was not validating the claim, the allegations were too weighty to ignore.

“Adeyemi has told Nigerians that he knew nothing about the itemizing of the ‘fake’ agency in the budget. I’m not saying what he said is true or not true,” he stated.

He maintained that the seriousness of the allegations required a process that would inspire confidence among Nigerians.

“You cannot have somebody making those huge significant claims about those that are in government and then the people are still sitting there. How do you ever think it will create an impression of trust?” Akande asked.

He further questioned how Nigerians could perceive the probe ordered by President Tinubu as impartial if those allegedly linked to the controversy remained in office throughout the investigation.

“How do you think that people will consider that the investigation that the President has ordered is going to be fair if they are still there?” he added.

The PFIPC controversy has generated widespread public attention after the council, which the Presidency reportedly disowned, was discovered to have received over N1.3 billion in the 2026 national budget, prompting investigations by anti-corruption agencies and renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability in government.