The Presidency has dismissed allegations linking the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, to an appointment for cash scandal, describing the accuser, Adeniyi Matthew, as an impostor.
The allegations emerged after Matthew, who claimed to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council/Presidential Economic Advisory Council, accused Gbajabiamila of demanding billions of naira from a government agency’s take-off grant.
NPO Reports that Matthew alleged that Gbajabiamila requested N27.4bn and collected N400m through intermediaries to facilitate his appointment as director-general, with an outstanding balance of N200m.
He further claimed that disagreements over the unpaid balance resulted in threats to his life, including alleged assassination attempts.
Following the claims, Matthew called for an independent investigation involving civil society groups and international organisations. He also demanded that Gbajabiamila step aside pending the outcome of the probe.
However, the Presidency on Wednesday rejected the allegations, describing them as false claims by what it called a “serial con artist.”
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said security agencies had been investigating Matthew since October 2025 following a petition by the Office of the Chief of Staff.
The petition was submitted to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force over alleged forgery of official appointment letters and impersonation of government officials.
“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 petition described the forgery as a criminal act capable of undermining the credibility of the Presidency and official government communication.
The Chief of Staff consequently urged security agencies to investigate the matter, identify those involved, and uncover the network behind the alleged activities.
The Presidency added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also raised concerns over Matthew’s activities after he reportedly organised a meeting with ambassadors in Abuja without clearance from the ministry.
According to the statement, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation later sought clarification regarding the existence and status of the purported agency.
Responding to the enquiries, Gbajabiamila denied appointing Matthew or recognising the organisation he claimed to represent.
“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,” Gbajabiamila stated.
He added that the appointment letter being circulated was fake and that his office had directed relevant security agencies to investigate the matter.
The Presidency said police investigations revealed that the agency was fictitious and that Matthew allegedly forged appointment documents while presenting himself as a government-appointed official.
It further claimed that searches conducted at his Abuja office and residence in Suleja uncovered documents allegedly linked to the fraud investigation.
The statement also alleged that investigators discovered 34 bank accounts connected to Matthew, including nine accounts reportedly opened in the names of non-existent agencies.
The Presidency claimed that he also fraudulently obtained a Central Bank of Nigeria account by allegedly misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
A police report quoted in the statement described the allegations as involving criminal forgery, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretence.
“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 report stated.
The Presidency said Matthew and two other individuals were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025 on an eight-count charge.
The case is expected to continue on July 27.
It further stated that Matthew’s latest allegations against Gbajabiamila were made while he was on bail and contradicted an earlier statement he allegedly gave investigators.
According to the Presidency, the claims prompted Gbajabiamila to issue a disclaimer on June 8, reiterating that Matthew was not a recognised government appointee.
The Presidency advised members of the public and politicians not to treat Matthew’s allegations as established facts, noting that the matter remains before the court.
It urged interested parties to await the outcome of the trial rather than make comments that could interfere with the judicial process.