ICPC questions Gbajabiamila over PFIPC scandal
The ICPC has questioned Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila over his role in the PFIPC scandal, as the investigation into the fake agency intensifies.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has questioned Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over his role in the PFIPC scandal. Gbajabiamila was invited to the ICPC headquarters in Abuja on Monday to provide information about the fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which was allocated ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 budget.
The ICPC’s investigation into the PFIPC scandal has intensified since President Bola Tinubu directed the commission to probe the matter. The fake agency was uncovered after Gbajabiamila alleged that his signature and official seals were forged. The ICPC is seeking to determine how the agency was created, how it secured office space and bank accounts, and how it was allocated funds in the budget.
Gbajabiamila’s questioning is a significant development in the scandal. As Chief of Staff, he is one of the most powerful officials in the Presidency, and his involvement in the investigation is a sign that the ICPC is taking the matter seriously. The outcome of the investigation could have significant political implications.
This echoes the 2012 pension fraud scandal, when senior government officials were questioned over their involvement in the diversion of pension funds. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a high-profile investigation that tested the independence of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
The winners: the ICPC, which is conducting a thorough investigation; and the Nigerian public, which may finally get answers. The losers: Gbajabiamila, who faces scrutiny; and the Nigerian government, which faces another scandal.
Bottom Line: The ICPC has questioned the Chief of Staff over the PFIPC scandal. The investigation is intensifying. The question is whether it will lead to accountability or just more questions.