By Joy Yesufu
The self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, failed to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday for his scheduled arraignment over alleged certificate forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Adeyemi was expected to take his plea before Justice Mohammed Umar on an eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025.
The case, which was listed as Number 12 on the court’s cause list, could not proceed as the defendant was absent when the matter was called.
The charge, filed on November 27, 2025, by police prosecutor Wisdom Madaki, accuses Adeyemi and two others of offences bordering on alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Among those listed as prosecution witnesses are the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; Ituah Sylvester; two officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu; as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Adeyemi’s absence comes a day after he appeared on Channels Television, where he claimed he had withdrawn from public view because of alleged threats to his life.
He denied allegations that he was evading law enforcement agencies investigating his role in the controversial PFIPC affair.
During the interview, Adeyemi also reiterated his claim that he paid N400 million, through a proxy, to President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to facilitate his appointment as Director-General of the disputed council.
He further alleged that individuals from whom he borrowed the money had subsequently petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the transaction.
The allegations have not been substantiated in court, and Gbajabiamila has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
