African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has criticised the National Assembly over the way it handled the investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal.
He argued that the lawmakers should not have concluded the probe without questioning President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the alleged Director-General of the council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
Okonkwo made his position known on Saturday through a post on his X account, where he questioned the credibility of the investigation. According to him, any inquiry that reaches conclusions without hearing from individuals directly linked to the allegations falls short of the principles of fairness and due process.
He maintained that both Adeyemi and Gbajabiamila should have been invited to appear before the lawmakers before any findings were made public. In his view, giving every person mentioned in an investigation the opportunity to respond is a basic requirement of justice, and failing to do so weakens the credibility of the exercise.
The former presidential spokesperson also rejected reports that the Inspector-General of Police explained that Adeyemi could not be produced before the National Assembly because a court had ordered his remand in custody. Okonkwo argued that such a court order should not prevent the legislature from carrying out its constitutional oversight duties.
He further questioned why Gbajabiamila, who is not in detention, was not invited to testify during the investigation. According to him, the National Assembly had every opportunity to seek explanations from the President’s Chief of Staff but failed to do so.
Okonkwo said the handling of the matter could reduce public confidence in the legislature and its oversight responsibilities. He urged lawmakers to ensure that investigations are conducted in a manner that gives all relevant parties the opportunity to state their position before conclusions are reached.
The ADC chieftain also called on Nigerians to make use of the 2027 general elections to demand accountability through the ballot. He said citizens should ensure that their votes count and use the democratic process to support leaders and institutions that uphold transparency, fairness and the rule of law.