Atiku’s aide urges Tinubu to suspend Gbajabiamila before ICPC probe
Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other officials allegedly linked to the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) controversy before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) begins its investigation.
In a post on his X handle on Tuesday, Ibe described the President’s decision to order an investigation without first suspending the key individuals named in the allegations as “flagrantly wrong.”
He argued that allowing the officials to remain in office during the investigation could compromise the integrity of the probe.
“Not suspending all those involved in the #GbajaGate scandal is akin to them being a judge in their own case. Their continued stay in office while the investigation is going on gives them the opportunity to interfere with the investigation process,” Ibe said.
President Tinubu had directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the PFIPC, which the Presidency has described as a fictitious body with no legal basis or presidential approval. The anti-corruption agency was given 30 days to submit its findings.
The controversy erupted after Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claims to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, alleged that he paid N600 million, including N400 million through proxies, to secure the appointment. He also accused Gbajabiamila of demanding 48 per cent of the agency’s take-off grant.
The Presidency has dismissed Adeyemi as an impostor and maintained that the PFIPC does not exist. However, questions have continued over reports that the council received a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act and allegedly opened accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Ibe’s remarks add to growing calls for Gbajabiamila’s suspension pending the outcome of the investigation. The Nigeria Democratic Congress and former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, have also made similar demands.

