The Presidency has dismissed allegations linking the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the alleged creation of a so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and claims that he inserted the body into the 2026 federal budget.
Reacting to the allegations made by one Adeniyi Adeyemi, the Presidency described the claims as false, misleading and legally untenable, insisting that the Chief of Staff has no constitutional or statutory authority to establish government agencies or include them in the national budget.
According to the statement, Nigeria’s budget preparation process is governed by the Constitution and the Fiscal Responsibility Act, with responsibility resting on the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the President and the National Assembly.
It stressed that the Office of the Chief of Staff serves only administrative, advisory and coordination functions within the Presidency and does not participate in budget formulation or approve the inclusion of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the Appropriation Bill.
The Presidency also denied claims that Gbajabiamila played any role in establishing the alleged PFIPC, noting that no evidence has been presented to show that such a body was legally created.
It explained that the establishment of any federal agency requires policy approval by the Federal Executive Council, legal backing from the National Assembly where necessary, budget coding by the Budget Office and subsequent inclusion in the Appropriation Bill submitted by the President.
According to the statement, no document, including an enabling law, FEC approval or budget schedule, has been produced to support the allegations against the Chief of Staff.
The Presidency further argued that Gbajabiamila’s role, where applicable, would be limited to coordinating official documents and administrative processes, not creating agencies or allocating public funds.
Describing the allegations as politically motivated, the statement claimed they were intended to create the impression of secret government structures, suggest irregularities in the 2026 budget and distract the administration from ongoing economic reforms.
It maintained that Gbajabiamila’s public service record remains intact, citing his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2019 and 2023, during which several landmark legislations, including the Petroleum Industry Act, the Finance Act, the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), and the Electoral Act 2022, were passed.
The Presidency also noted that the Chief of Staff has never been indicted or sanctioned by any anti-corruption agency and insisted that his record reflects transparency and commitment to national development.
Reaffirming its position, the statement said accountability must be based on credible evidence rather than speculation or unsubstantiated claims.
It added that the appropriate anti-graft agency has been directed to investigate the allegations and take necessary action, expressing confidence that the probe would establish Gbajabiamila’s innocence.