Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the director-general of the disputed Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), has urged President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent panel to investigate the controversy surrounding the council.
In an open letter, Adeyemi argued that the investigation should be handled by an independent, multi-stakeholder panel rather than the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), saying such a process would inspire greater public and international confidence.
He proposed that the panel include representatives of civil society organisations, independent media, international financial observers, human rights groups such as Amnesty International, diplomatic observers from the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, ECOWAS and the African Union, while the ICPC and the EFCC would serve as technical partners.
According to Adeyemi, an investigation conducted solely by the ICPC would be inadequate because the agency is part of the government.
“If this investigation is to command the absolute trust of the Nigerian public and the international community, it must transcend standard bureaucratic boundaries,” he said.
He added that he would immediately submit documents and other evidence once such a panel was constituted, arguing that “a system cannot credibly investigate itself when its own key actors are central to the discourse.”
Adeyemi nevertheless commended President Tinubu for directing the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the PFIPC controversy and the alleged ₦1.3 billion allocation inserted into the 2026 Appropriation Bill, describing the directive as “a vital first step”.
He also claimed that surrendering himself to security agencies under the current arrangement would endanger his life, alleging he had received intelligence suggesting he could be targeted if he appeared in an unmonitored environment.
Adeyemi referenced the reported death of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, describing him as a key intermediary in the matter. He questioned official accounts of Tanimola’s reported death in a fire at Kachi Hotel, Utako, Abuja, and alleged that the hotel’s subsequent demolition destroyed potential evidence.
The letter comes amid an ongoing dispute over the PFIPC, which the Presidency has maintained does not exist. Despite this position, Adeyemi insists he was lawfully appointed as the council’s director-general.
He has also accused the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other senior officials of frustrating his activities after he allegedly refused to comply with certain demands.
At a press conference last month, Adeyemi argued that the PFIPC’s inclusion in the 2026 budget was proof of its existence. He further alleged that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million through a proxy and later requested an additional ₦200 million to facilitate his appointment.
Authorities have accused Adeyemi of forging several government documents, including an alleged presidential appointment letter. He has denied the allegations and insists the matter should be determined by the courts.
“If I’m wrong, let the court of law do that, and if I’m right, let the court of law do that; do the right thing,” he said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
