The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) for the 2027 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has given President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to order an independent investigation into the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
In a statement issued on Friday by his media office, Atiku said the Presidency must address what he described as contradictions surrounding an alleged ₦27.4 billion allocation in the 2026 budget to the PFIPC, which the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, has reportedly maintained is not a recognised government agency.
According to Atiku, “Allocating ₦27.4 billion to an agency that does not exist puts question marks on the credibility of the entire 2026 national budget.”
The former vice president argued that the allegations are too serious to be dismissed through official denials and called for an independent investigation to establish the facts.
He also urged President Tinubu to suspend Gbajabiamila pending the outcome of any investigation, saying public officials, irrespective of their office, should be held to the same standards of transparency and accountability.
“Good governance is based on transparency and accountability, and you cannot achieve that by protecting your family and friends. President Tinubu must lead by example by holding his Chief of Staff to the same standards of accountability as other public officials,” the statement said.
The controversy follows allegations by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who identifies himself as Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, claiming he was asked to pay a ₦400 million bribe through intermediaries to secure official backing for the council.
Gbajabiamila has denied the allegations and has reportedly insisted that the PFIPC is not a recognised government agency.
Atiku said the outcome of the matter would serve as a test of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to accountability and urged the President to act within seven days to restore public confidence.
The Presidency has yet to issue a fresh response to Atiku’s latest demand.
