The Presidency has rejected allegations linking the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to an alleged appointment-for-cash scheme, describing the claims as false and branding the accuser, Adeniyi Matthew, as an impostor.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Matthew was not a recognised government official despite presenting himself as Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council/Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
Matthew had alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded N27.4 billion from the proposed take-off grant of the agency and collected N400 million through intermediaries to facilitate his appointment, claiming an outstanding balance of N200 million later caused a dispute.
He also accused the Chief of Staff of being connected to alleged attempts on his life and called for an independent investigation involving civil society organisations and international bodies. He further urged Gbajabiamila to step aside while the allegations were investigated.
Responding, the Presidency described the allegations as fabricated, saying security agencies had been investigating Matthew since October 2025 after the Office of the Chief of Staff petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force over alleged forgery and impersonation.
“The attention of this office has been drawn to the activities of certain individuals and groups engaged in the forgery of official appointment letters purportedly issued from my office,” the Chief of Staff stated in the petition.
“The above development not only constitutes a serious criminal act but also undermines the integrity of the Presidency and the credibility of official government communication.
“I therefore urge you to initiate a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend those involved and also to uncover the network facilitating the forgery.”
According to the statement, the investigation gained further attention after the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Matthew allegedly convened a meeting with ambassadors in Abuja without informing or obtaining approval from the ministry.
The Presidency said the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation later sought clarification on the status of the purported council.
In his response, Gbajabiamila denied any knowledge of Matthew or the organisation.
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“Prince Adeniyi Matthew, Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, is unknown to any office, nor do we have any dealings with the said council.
“My attention was drawn to a letter of this purported application, which is fake, and my office has instructed the police and other relevant security agencies to carry out investigations on the person and the entity he claims to represent.”
The Presidency said police investigations established that the agency was fictitious and alleged that Matthew forged his appointment letter and other official documents while falsely presenting himself as a government appointee.
It added that security operatives searched his Abuja office and residence in Suleja, where documents allegedly linked to the fraud were recovered.
Investigators also reportedly found that Matthew operated 34 bank accounts, including nine allegedly opened in the names of non-existent government agencies, and fraudulently secured a Central Bank of Nigeria account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Quoting the police report, the statement said:
“The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community.”
The Presidency disclosed that Matthew and two other suspects were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on an eight-count charge in November 2025, with the case adjourned until July 27, 2026.
It also maintained that Matthew made the fresh allegations against Gbajabiamila while on police bail and noted that the claims differed from the statement he had earlier given investigators.
“His new claim prompted the Chief of Staff, on June 8, to issue a disclaimer consistent with earlier advisories that the man, called Adeyemi, is an impostor,” the statement said.
The Presidency urged politicians and members of the public not to treat Matthew’s allegations as credible, stressing that the matter is already before the court.
“Politicians and members of the public who are weaponising Adeyemi’s claim against the Chief of Staff should refrain from swallowing his narrative hook, line and sinker. They are advised to await the trial of Adeyemi and his accomplices, as well as the court’s judgement, as comments made today are sub judice.”