President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, along with all matters connected to it.
The directive was announced in a statement released on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the President ordered the anti-graft agency to conclude its investigation and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.
The statement said the directive followed the discovery that the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was fictitious and had never been established by the Federal Government.
“The directive follows the discovery of the fictitious PFIPC, which was never established by the Federal Government of Nigeria and has no basis in any law, presidential instrument, executive approval, or other lawful act of Government,” the statement read.
It alleged that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the council and claimed to be a presidential appointee.
Among the issues to be investigated, the Presidency said, are “the forged appointment letters and other official government documents; the use of a false claim of presidential appointment to seek or obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation; and the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.”
The statement added that President Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate not only the activities of the principal suspect and his collaborators but also the broader circumstances that enabled the alleged scheme.
“The investigation is to examine the provenance and use of false official documents; the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained; the opening and operation of any related bank accounts; the source and movement of any funds involved; and the role of any public officer, private individual, financial institution, intermediary or other person or entity that may have facilitated, enabled or participated in the alleged scheme,” it stated.
The President also directed the commission to identify weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
He further instructed all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government to provide the ICPC with all relevant information and assistance required for the investigation.
“The integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service,” the statement stated.
The President also directed “that all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.”
Recall that on June 25, during a press conference, Adeyemi, who is facing criminal charges over his alleged role in operating the council, a body the Presidency says is fictitious, accused the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding a 48 per cent share of the council’s alleged N27.4 billion take-off grant, amounting to about N12.5 billion.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Olufemi Gbajabiamila, has strongly refuted allegations made by Adeyemi Adeniyi, Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Adeniyi had accused Gbajabiamila of receiving ₦400 million through proxies in connection with appointments linked to the entity, abusing his office, intimidating individuals and media organisations, manipulating budget processes, attempting to misuse security agencies, and participating in a cover-up.
Gbajabiamila, through his lawyer Kemi Pinheiro, categorically denied the claims, stressing that he has never had any contact with Adeniyi. He further warned that he would pursue a ₦10 billion defamation suit over allegations linking him to bribery, murder, and other criminal conduct.
