The Presidency has broken its silence, clearing Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila of bribery allegations and branding his accusers a “criminal enterprise.”
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued a statement clarifying Gbajabiamila on Wednesday.
The official response follows a demand on Tuesday by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (ADC), who called for Gbajabiamila’s suspension over a ₦400 million scandal.
The allegation was brought forward by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Atiku argued that the suspension is necessary to allow for an independent investigation into the claims and a related budgetary controversy.
Clarifying the situation, the presidential aide said the controversy is a result of a scam orchestrated by Matthew.
He said Matthew allegedly paraded himself as the director-general of a fictitious agency called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, using forged appointment letters, reference numbers, and falsified seals.
Onanuga said the Office of the Chief of Staff originally blew the whistle on the fraudulent operation in October 2025 after learning that Matthew was hosting unauthorized meetings with foreign diplomats and falsely soliciting a note verbale from the United States Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain visas for his staff.
“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,” Gbajabiamila wrote in his initial October 17 petition to the police and the Department of State Services.
Warning of the severe national security implications, the Chief of Staff had stated: “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.”
Security agencies swiftly intervened following the petition, arresting Matthew in Abuja on October 27, 2025, and discovering that he operated 34 separate bank accounts, with nine opened under fictitious agency names.
In a formal conclusion from the police investigation, Assistant Commissioner Kabir Mogaji detailed the severity of the offence.
“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 police report stated.
Following these findings, the police filed an eight-count charge against Matthew at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with his trial scheduled to commence on July 27.
The suspect recently made new claims against the Chief of Staff while out on police bail, which prompted a fresh disclaimer from Gbajabiamila on June 8 identifying the man as an impostor.
The presidency noted that Matthew has a history of false presentation, including a 2016 incident where he falsely paraded himself as an ambassador and President-General of a fictitious United Nations-affiliated youth body until the global organization denied its existence.
Warning commentators that the matter is now active before a court of law,
Onanuga cautioned the public against being misled by the suspect’s latest claims.
“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,” Onanuga stated.
He advised interested parties “to await the trial of Adeyemi and his accomplices, as well as the court’s judgement, as comments made today are sub judice.”
Author
Leave a comment