PFIPC Scandal: Peter Ameh Demands Gbajabiamila’s Resignation, Alleges High-Level Budget Conspiracy

Former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Chief Peter Ameh, has called for the immediate resignation of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the controversy surrounding the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

In a statement issued on Friday, Ameh alleged that the agency, which he said appeared in the 2026 federal budget under the Presidency with budget code 0111062001, was inserted into the budget through official government processes despite questions surrounding its legal status.

According to him, the 2026 Budget Call Circular issued by the Budget Office of the Federation was intended for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), not private individuals. He argued that the agency’s inclusion in the budget proposal suggested the involvement of senior government officials.

Ameh claimed that the proposal was processed through the Presidency, defended before the Budget Office, approved by the Federal Executive Council, scrutinised by the relevant committees of the National Assembly, and eventually passed as part of the Appropriation Bill before being signed into law.

He said the sequence of events raised serious questions about the roles played by officials within the Presidency, the Budget Office and the National Assembly, describing the matter as one that warrants an independent investigation.

The former IPAC chairman further alleged that the controversy deepened following claims that the Attorney General of the Federation was misled into facilitating the opening of a Central Bank of Nigeria account for the agency. He also referenced the existence of an official government website for the council, arguing that this further underscored the need for transparency.

Ameh cautioned the Presidency against taking any action that could be perceived as an attempt to silence the Director-General at the centre of the controversy, insisting that accountability and due process should guide the handling of the matter.

He consequently called on Gbajabiamila and other officials allegedly linked to the controversy to step aside to allow what he described as an independent and credible investigation.

“The arrogance of power must stop,” Ameh said, adding that Nigerians deserve a government that upholds integrity, transparency and the rule of law.

He also urged the National Assembly, anti-corruption agencies and other relevant authorities to launch what he described as a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the allegations.

The allegations contained in Ameh’s statement are his claims and have not been independently verified. The Presidency has previously denied wrongdoing in relation to the PFIPC controversy, while no official findings have been released by investigative authorities regarding the matter.