PFIPC probe: 48 hours to Tinubu’s deadline, will heads roll?

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has about 48 hours to submit report of its investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) to President Bola Tinubu, in line with the 30-day deadline issued on July 7.

President Tinubu had directed the anti-graft agency to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the purported council after the Presidency declared it fictitious and unknown to the Federal Government.

In a statement issued on July 7 by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said the PFIPC “was never established by the Federal Government and has no legal backing through any law, presidential directive, executive approval or other lawful government instrument.”

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--> The statement said the President ordered the ICPC to conclude its investigation within 30 days and submit a detailed report, signalling a fresh crackdown on the alleged abuse of government identity and official processes.

--> According to the Presidency, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the non-existent council and claimed to be a presidential appointee.

Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate allegations surrounding the use of forged appointment letters and other government documents, as well as claims that the alleged fake presidential appointment was used to seek official recognition, diplomatic support and visa facilitation.

The commission is also investigating the opening and operation of multiple bank accounts allegedly created in the names of purported government agencies using forged documents.

Beyond the activities of the principal suspect, the President directed the ICPC to identify all collaborators and unravel the circumstances that enabled the fictitious council and the alleged false claim of presidential appointment to gain an appearance of legitimacy.

The investigation also covers the origin and use of the alleged forged official documents, the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought, the source and movement of funds connected with the alleged scheme, and the roles played by any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries that may have facilitated the alleged fraud.

Tinubu further instructed the commission to identify loopholes within government institutions that may have been exploited and recommend measures to prevent similar abuses.

He directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to provide the ICPC with relevant documents and other assistance required to complete the investigation within the stipulated period.

“The integrity of the Presidency and public institutions must be protected from impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and any attempt to exploit weaknesses in government systems,” the President said, adding that anyone found culpable should “face the full weight of the law.”

The probe followed growing controversy over the operations of the PFIPC and claims that it had received official recognition from several government institutions despite the Presidency’s insistence that no such agency exists.

Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the detained self-styled Director-General of the council, has expressed doubt in justice being served by ICPC, seeking establishment of an independent panel.

In the last interview he granted before being arrested in Osun State, he had said, “I want to appreciate the President for taking the first step by asking the ICPC to investigate the matter. However, I am still appealing to him to set up an independent panel. You can see that the Presidency has already exonerated Hon Gbajabiamila in this matter, saying the Chief of Staff does not know anything. Let an independent panel prove that. In a normal circumstance, are you telling me the ICPC will indict the Chief of Staff? No. Let an independent panel prove him innocent, that Adeniyi is lying and making (unsubstantiated) allegations against the Chief of Staff. The government cannot investigate itself.” 

In a statement issued on Sunday through his lawyer, Festus Akhigbe, Adeyemi argued that several federal institutions processed official requests relating to the council and recognised its activities before the controversy emerged.

His legal team claimed that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation acknowledged documents linked to the council and facilitated the allocation of office space within the Federal Secretariat.

The lawyers also alleged that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria approved administrative budget codes, granted the council self-accounting status, opened operational accounts and facilitated the deployment of federal civil servants.

They also claimed that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation approved the council’s organisational structure and recruitment process, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission allocated office space, collected processing fees and presented a plaque to the organisation.

“If several government institutions processed, recognised and engaged with the council over an extended period, it is unreasonable to suggest that one individual alone deceived the entire machinery of government,” the legal team said.

The defence maintained that Adeyemi was being made a scapegoat for broader administrative failures and urged investigators to examine the roles of all ministries, departments and agencies linked to the council.

The House of Representatives is conducting a parallel investigation into the matter. During the hearings, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, admitted that her office failed to carry out adequate due diligence before approving recruitment requests associated with the controversial council. But the question on many lips is, will this probe yield result or end up like many others in the past? Will heads roll or it will end in business as usual?