The House of Representatives committee investigating the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council says former Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila will only be invited if the facts force its hand.
Committee Chairman Hon. Yusuf Gagdi disclosed this on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today, as reported by Tribune Online.
Gagdi made it clear the probe is not about going after individuals. For the panel, the bigger concern is how PFIPC, which he said appears to have no solid legal foundation, found its way into government operations and budget lines.
“Our job is not tied to any name,” he said. “The real question is how this council entered the system in the first place. That is more important than Adeniyi or Gbajabiamila.”
He added that the committee will only summon people when documents or testimonies point in their direction. “If the evidence leads us to anyone, we will call them. If there is nothing, then there is no need to waste time,” he stated.
Gagdi also explained why the panel met Prince Adeniyi inside a police facility instead of in a public hearing. According to him, the Inspector-General informed them that Adeniyi was in custody based on a court order. “We have to respect the judiciary,” he said. “We cannot start pressuring the police.”
Lawmakers later held a closed-door meeting with Adeniyi. Gagdi confirmed he was there, but declined to go into details. He cited ongoing prosecution and active investigations by the EFCC, ICPC and the police as reasons for keeping quiet on what was discussed.
The chairman described the report recently submitted to the House as an interim update, not the final word. “We released it to let Nigerians know that work is ongoing,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that the committee ignored some names. The panel, he said, wrote to the Office of the Head of Service, NSA, DSS, EFCC, ICPC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for records. It called for public submissions too, and received three petitions. None of them mentioned former Minister Betta Edu.
A major part of the investigation involves an alleged N400 million fraud involving Adeniyi, according to documents before the committee. A contractor alleged that Adeniyi brought him from Ibadan to Abuja, showed him a property and tied it to a N2 billion contract. The petitioner provided four payment receipts amounting to N400 million. The committee has also asked the FRSC to verify a vehicle and plate number allegedly linked to Adeniyi.
On Gbajabiamila, Gagdi said the panel found inconsistencies. An appointment letter bearing his supposed signature did not match other documents from the State House. The committee also said it had flagged suspected forged papers, including an executive order and a purported National Assembly Act said to have created PFIPC.
“If the evidence requires us to invite Femi Gbajabiamila, we will not hesitate,” Gagdi said. “We invited the SGF before. We can invite him as well.”
He stressed that the update reflects only the committee’s position for now, not the House’s final stance. A comprehensive report will be laid before lawmakers once the investigation is concluded. For now, the probe continues.