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 under prosecution for forgery, impersonation and fraud.
The rebuttal followed claims by Matthew, who identified himself as Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council/Presidential Economic Advisory Council, that Gbajabiamila demanded N27.4 billion from the take-off grant of a purported government agency and allegedly received N400 million through intermediaries to facilitate his appointment.
Matthew also alleged that a dispute over an outstanding N200 million payment led to tension between them and claimed there had been attempts on his life.
He called for an independent probe into the allegations and urged the Chief of Staff to step aside pending the outcome of investigations.
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However, in a statement on Wednesday, July 1 by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency dismissed the allegations as fabricated, insisting that Matthew had no relationship with the Presidency or the Chief of Staff.
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According to the statement, security agencies have been investigating Matthew since October 2025 following a petition by Gbajabiamila to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force over the alleged forgery of presidential appointment letters and impersonation of government officials.
In the petition, the Chief of Staff said, “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.”
He added: “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 Presidency disclosed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also raised concerns after Matthew allegedly convened a meeting with ambassadors in Abuja without the ministry’s knowledge or approval.
It said 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 Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.
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Responding to the enquiries, Gbajabiamila reportedly 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,” the Chief of Staff stated.
He added: “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.”
According to the Presidency, police investigations established that the agency did not exist and that Matthew allegedly forged his appointment letter and other official documents while falsely presenting himself as a presidential appointee.
Investigators were also said to have recovered incriminating documents during searches conducted at his office in Abuja and residence in Suleja.
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The statement further claimed that investigators uncovered 34 bank accounts linked to Matthew, including nine allegedly opened in the names of fictitious government agencies.
It also alleged that he fraudulently secured a Central Bank of Nigeria account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Quoting the police investigation report, the Presidency said: “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 Presidency disclosed that Matthew and two others were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025 on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and related offences, adding that the case has been adjourned until July 27 for hearing.
It noted that Matthew made the latest allegations against the Chief of Staff while on police bail, describing the claims as inconsistent with the statement he had earlier made to investigators.
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The statement added that Gbajabiamila had issued a public disclaimer on June 8 reaffirming that Matthew was not known to his office and warning the public against dealing with him.
The Presidency also urged politicians and members of the public to avoid drawing conclusions from Matthew’s allegations while the criminal case remains before the court.
“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. They are advised to await the trial of Adeyemi and his accomplices, as well as the court’s judgement, as comments made today are sub judice,” the statement said.
