By Peace Udugba
A political analyst and Chairman of the Ijebu North East Forum, Bayo Ayanga, has called on the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to temporarily step aside from office pending the conclusion of the ongoing court case involving the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Ayanga made the call during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, while reacting to the controversy surrounding the alleged activities of the purported PFIPC and the legal battle involving self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.
His position follows comments by human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, who argued that the Presidency lacked the constitutional authority to exonerate anyone in the matter and called for an independent investigation into both Gbajabiamila and Adeyemi.
The controversy erupted after Adeyemi accused the Chief of Staff of demanding a ₦400 million kickback, an additional ₦200 million payment and a 48 per cent stake in a proposed ₦27.4 billion take-off grant to facilitate his appointment.
However, the Presidency dismissed the allegations, describing the PFIPC as a fictitious agency that does not exist within the Federal Government’s structure. It also maintained that the Chief of Staff has no constitutional power to issue appointment letters, insisting that the allegations were false.
Subsequent investigations by security agencies reportedly uncovered what authorities described as an elaborate fraud scheme allegedly operated by Adeyemi from an office within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
According to investigators, forged appointment letters, official documents, stamps and even the signature of the Chief of Staff were allegedly used to deceive individuals, including foreign diplomats. Investigators also claimed to have traced multiple bank accounts linked to the suspect and alleged fake government entities.
The Nigeria Police Force has since filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the trial scheduled to commence on July 27, 2026.
Despite the Presidency’s public defence of Gbajabiamila, Ayanga argued that only the courts have the constitutional authority to determine criminal liability.
“Femi Gbajabiamila should at least step down until this whole mess is cleared because the matter has not been resolved,” he said.
He maintained that while the Presidency was entitled to express its position, it could not substitute the judicial process.
“The honourable thing for Femi Gbajabiamila to do is to step aside. The Presidency saying he has been cleared does not amount to legal clearance. Only the court can determine whether a person is guilty or not guilty,” Ayanga stated.
He clarified that he was not advocating the Chief of Staff’s resignation but merely asking him to temporarily vacate office pending the conclusion of the case.
“I’m not saying he should resign. I’m saying he should step aside until the courts determine the matter,” he added.
Ayanga also questioned the speed with which the Presidency dismissed the allegations, describing the action as premature.
“How was he cleared within a week of such serious allegations? Criminal allegations are for the courts to determine, not the executive,” he said.
Beyond the allegations against the Chief of Staff, Ayanga said the controversy had exposed serious weaknesses in Nigeria’s administrative and governance systems.
He questioned how an individual could allegedly establish a non-existent government agency, obtain office space within the Federal Secretariat, secure budgetary allocations and allegedly open bank accounts without raising red flags.
“There are too many questions begging for answers. How did someone declare himself Director-General of a fictitious agency, obtain office space, allegedly appear in the budget process and open bank accounts? These are institutional failures that must be investigated,” he said.
According to him, the case should serve as a wake-up call for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s public administration, including stronger verification processes, improved oversight, enhanced inter-agency coordination and more rigorous scrutiny of official documents and government records.
Ayanga stressed that regardless of the outcome of the trial, the controversy has highlighted the urgent need to strengthen institutional safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The case has continued to attract national attention, with many observers calling for greater transparency and accountability as legal proceedings unfold. The Federal High Court is expected to begin hearing the matter later this month.
