The Presidency has dismissed allegations linking the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to an alleged appointment-for-cash scandal, describing his accuser, Adeniyi Matthew, as an impostor
Adeniyi Matthew is an acclaimed Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council/Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The rebuttal followed recent allegations by Matthew that Gbajabiamila demanded N27.4bn from the take-off grant of a purported agency and collected N400m, through proxies, to secure his appointment as director-general, with an outstanding balance of N200m.
He claimed the fallout over the balance led to tensions and further alleged as.sassination attempts on his life.
Matthew had called for an independent investigative panel that would include civil society and international organisations, compel Gbajabiamila to step aside, and make its findings public.
But in an official statement issued on Wednesday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described these claims as fabrications by a serial con artist.
The Presidency said security agencies had been investigating Matthew since October 2025 after the Office of the Chief of Staff petitioned the Department of State Services 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 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.”
The statement said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also raised concerns over Matthew’s activities after he allegedly convened a meeting with ambassadors in Abuja without recourse to the ministry.
According to the Presidency, both the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation subsequently sought clarification on the status of the purported agency.
Responding to the enquiries, Gbajabiamila denied appointing Matthew or recognising the agency.
“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 Chief of Staff wrote.
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