The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee probing the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council has come under growing pressure to widen its investigation by inviting Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, even as lawmakers ordered the Inspector-General of Police to produce the alleged promoter of the non-existent agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, for questioning on Wednesday.
The calls intensified after the committee, on Monday, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to produce Adeyemi before lawmakers on Wednesday to answer questions arising from testimonies already received from senior government officials.
The committee’s investigation has so far featured appearances by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack; Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu; Director of Banking Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Hamisu Abdullahi; Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi; and Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi, who represented the Inspector-General of Police.
Adeyemi, who has been in police custody for more than two weeks, is expected to appear before the committee following Monday’s directive.
However, fresh questions were raised over why Gbajabiamila had not been invited to testify, despite Adeyemi’s alleged statements linking him to the attempted establishment of the council.
A source familiar with the committee’s proceedings told The PUNCH that lawmakers missed an opportunity to seek answers from the police on several key issues during Monday’s hearing.
“The IGP appeared today (Monday) through a representative, a senior police officer. Why did the committee fail to ask relevant questions?
“We are told that the middleman known as Dolapo Tanimola that Adeyemi allegedly gave N400m to give to the Chief of Staff, died mysteriously in a fire incident in Abuja. We are told that this man who ought to have been a principal witness died in a hotel called Kachi Hotel in Utako, Abuja.
“A few days after his death on October 22, 2025, as the story goes, the hotel was demolished by armed individuals, leaving no trace for further investigation. How did the panel allow the IGP, through his representative, to leave without asking him who authorised the demolition of the hotel?
“Again, when will they bring in Gbajabiamila for questioning?” the source queried.
The source’s comments come amid growing public interest in the committee’s findings, particularly following revelations that forged official documents were allegedly used to secure government recognition, office accommodation and budgetary provisions for an agency that has no legal basis.
A political analyst, Jackson Ojo, faulted the House committee chaired by Plateau lawmaker, Yusuf Gagdi, for failing to invite Gbajabiamila to testify.
“The House investigating panel started wrongly. Apart from Adeyemi, the most important person to have on ground from Day One is Gbajabiamila. Why did they fail to invite him for questioning, if only to clear his name?
“For not inviting him, they have already given the impression that they are not interested in finding out what truly happened,” he said.
HEDA demands accountability
Meanwhile, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda has called on the Chief of Staff to step aside pending the conclusion of investigations.
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, HEDA Chairman, Suraju Olanrewaju, said the Office of the Chief of Staff had demonstrated serious administrative lapses in safeguarding the Presidency from fraudulent activities.
He also urged the committee to invite the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to explain the role of his office and whether adequate due diligence was conducted before the purported council gained official traction.
“In the face of the failure of Adeyemi to provide concrete evidence of direct relationship (physical meeting or telephone calls) with the Chief of Staff, it is difficult to hold him responsible pending conclusion of investigations. However, the incompetence of that office to protect the Presidency and coordinate affairs around the President is a more reason for his complete removal and replacement with a more competent person.
“The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is even more complicit in the PFIPC controversy,” Olanrewaju said.
Committee summons Adeyemi
The renewed pressure follows Monday’s resumed hearing at the National Assembly, where the committee formally directed the IGP to produce Adeyemi
Fake agency probe: House faces pressure to summon Gbajabiamila
