By taibat Ummi Yakubu
The controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken a fresh turn, with the Federal Government arraigning its alleged Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on an eight-count criminal charge.
Adeyemi was brought before Justice Mohammed Umar on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to all eight counts filed against him.
During the proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation had directed him to take over the case from the police.
Oyedepo subsequently asked the court to remand Adeyemi in custody pending the determination of the matter.
Adeyemi’s counsel, Genesis Francis, however, informed the court that his client had already filed a bail application since January and urged the court to consider the application.
Adeyemi has remained in police custody since his arrest in Osun State on July 14. His arrest followed an earlier order by a Federal High Court in Abuja after he allegedly failed to honour a court summons.
The case centres on allegations that Adeyemi masterminded the creation and operation of the purported PFIPC, which allegedly presented itself as a federal government agency despite having no known legal backing or presidential declaration establishing it.
The purported council reportedly went as far as securing office space at the Federal Secretariat, recruiting personnel and operating as though it were an officially recognised government institution.
The controversy deepened after Adeyemi alleged that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, received N400 million through a proxy in connection with an appointment letter issued by the purported agency.
The allegations generated significant public attention and eventually prompted President Tinubu to direct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the purported council.
Adeyemi has maintained that the controversy deserves an independent investigation. He previously appealed to President Tinubu to establish a multi-stakeholder panel to examine the activities of the council, including allegations surrounding a purported N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget.
The Federal Government’s decision to formally arraign Adeyemi now places the allegations before the court, where the prosecution will be required to establish its case and the accused will have the opportunity to defend himself.
The case is expected to continue with further proceedings as the court determines the next steps in the trial.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!