Embattled PFIPC chief says only a neutral, multi-stakeholder panel can guarantee transparency as he raises safety concerns and maintains innocence over forgery allegations……
Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent panel to investigate the growing controversy surrounding the council.
In an open letter addressed to the President, Adeyemi argued that the investigation should be handled by a neutral, multi-stakeholder body rather than the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which he said could not be viewed as impartial because it is a government agency.
According to him, the proposed panel should comprise representatives of civil society organisations, independent media, international financial observers and human rights groups, including Amnesty International, to ensure transparency and compliance with global legal standards.
He also recommended the inclusion of diplomatic observers from the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, ECOWAS and the African Union, while suggesting that the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) serve only as technical partners within the broader independent panel.
Adeyemi maintained that an investigation conducted solely by government agencies would struggle to earn public confidence.
“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 was prepared to submit documents and other evidence immediately once such a panel was constituted.
“The moment this independent, multi-stakeholder panel is constituted, I will immediately step forward to present comprehensive documentation and verifiable evidence. A system cannot credibly investigate itself when its own key actors are central to the discourse,” he stated.
President Tinubu had earlier directed the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the PFIPC controversy and the reported ₦1.3 billion allocation linked to the council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
While describing the President’s directive as a positive first step, Adeyemi insisted that greater transparency was needed.
He also claimed that surrendering himself under the current arrangement would put his life at risk, alleging that he had received credible intelligence suggesting he could be targeted if he appeared in an unmonitored environment.
Adeyemi linked his fears to the death of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as a key intermediary in the matter.
According to him, although official reports stated that Tanimola died in a fire at Kachi Hotel in Utako, Abuja, there had been no independent eyewitness account or media verification of the incident.
He further alleged that the hotel was later demolished by unidentified armed men without the involvement of any recognised federal regulatory authority, claiming the action destroyed a potential crime scene and erased crucial evidence.
The controversy surrounding the PFIPC has intensified after the Presidency declared that the council does not exist. However, Adeyemi has continued to insist that he was legitimately appointed to head the body.
He has repeatedly accused the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other senior government officials of attempting to frustrate his activities after he allegedly refused to comply with certain directives.
During a press conference last month, Adeyemi argued that the council’s inclusion in the proposed 2026 budget was proof that it existed. He also alleged that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million from him through a proxy and later demanded an additional ₦200 million to facilitate his appointment.
The allegations have been strongly denied.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have charged Adeyemi with forging several official government documents, including a presidential appointment letter.
He has denied the allegations and insists the courts should determine the matter.
“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.
