The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has cleared the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, of involvement in the appointment of Adeniyi Adeyemi as director-general of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The commission said its investigation found no evidence that Gbajabiamila, his office or the State House had any connection with Adeyemi or the PFIPC, which investigators determined was not a legally established government agency.
According to the ICPC, Adeyemi allegedly forged an appointment letter dated March 2024 using a fake State House letterhead and falsely attributed Gbajabiamila’s signature to the document.
The commission also found no evidence that Adeyemi was appointed by the Chief of Staff or had any direct dealings with him regarding the purported appointment.
The findings were contained in an interim report submitted to President Tinubu on August 6 following the President’s directive for an investigation into the PFIPC scandal.
The ICPC said its investigation established that the PFIPC was not created by any law, executive order or other valid government instrument. It consequently recommended Adeyemi’s prosecution over alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences.
ICPC Finds No Appointment Record
Investigators examined official correspondence records of the Office of the Chief of Staff, including its dispatch system and Automated Correspondence Management platform.
The commission said it found no record of correspondence involving Adeyemi or the PFIPC between 2024 and September 2025.
It further explained that the Office of the Chief of Staff does not issue appointment letters to political appointees or heads of ministries, departments and agencies.
Rather, the office conveys presidential approvals to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which is responsible for issuing formal appointment letters.
The ICPC said its findings therefore contradicted Adeyemi’s claim that he was appointed through the Office of the Chief of Staff.
Fake State House Documents
The commission also uncovered what it described as forged State House documents allegedly used by Adeyemi to strengthen the appearance of legitimacy surrounding the PFIPC.
One of the documents was a letter requesting an administrative code for the purported agency from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The letter reportedly bore the name Akanbi Adewale, described as Director of Administration and Support Services, and purportedly carried his signature on behalf of the Permanent Secretary.
However, the ICPC said its investigation found no State House employee by that name during the period under review.
Investigators also discovered that the State House does not have a department called “Administration and Support Services”. The relevant department is officially known as the Administration Department.
A forensic examination further showed that the letterhead used in the correspondence differed from genuine State House letterheads and lacked their security features.
The ICPC said handwriting analysis also established that the signature attributed to Adewale was allegedly forged by Adeyemi.
The commission similarly found that the signature attributed to Gbajabiamila on Adeyemi’s purported appointment letter did not match the Chief of Staff’s specimen signature.
Gbajabiamila had previously denied authorising, signing or issuing any of the documents linked to the PFIPC.
Government Verification Failures Exposed
Beyond the alleged forgery, the ICPC investigation exposed significant weaknesses in the verification procedures of several government institutions.
The commission said ministries, departments and agencies failed to adequately authenticate documents presented by the purported agency before acting on them.
The findings indicate that these lapses allowed the PFIPC to operate as though it were a legitimate government institution despite having no legal foundation.
The purported agency reportedly secured office space at the Federal Secretariat, obtained access to government processes, opened accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria and had civil servants deployed to work with it.
The ICPC said the failure of government institutions to independently verify the authenticity of documents contributed to the expansion of the alleged fraud.
Adeyemi Denies Wrongdoing
Adeyemi has denied wrongdoing and maintained that he would defend himself against the allegations.
He had previously claimed that Gbajabiamila was involved in his appointment and alleged that he paid money to an individual he believed was the Chief of Staff.
However, in a subsequent interview, Adeyemi reportedly softened his position, saying he could not confirm with certainty whether Gbajabiamila was involved in the issuance of the appointment letter.
Gbajabiamila has consistently denied the allegations. He later petitioned law enforcement authorities and instituted a N15 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi.
Adeyemi is currently facing criminal charges alongside two other defendants, who are reportedly at large, over allegations including forgery and impersonation.
Another Suspected Fake Agency Uncovered
The PFIPC investigation has also widened after the discovery of another suspected fake agency, the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, which allegedly operated within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
President Tinubu subsequently ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries and the arrest of the alleged promoter of the entity, George Buchi Nwabueze.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu said investigators discovered that Nwabueze allegedly operated under different variations of his name and that suspected collaborators within the OSGF may have been involved.
According to the commission, forged legislative instruments were allegedly used to create an appearance of legitimacy and facilitate the opening of bank accounts for the purported entities.
The latest findings have raised fresh concerns over weaknesses in Nigeria’s public-sector verification and oversight systems, particularly how individuals can allegedly establish and operate purported government agencies without proper legal backing.
