‘Presidency may have become nest of fraudsters’ — ADC demands probe of PFIPC scandal

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded the immediate establishment of an independent judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the controversy surrounding the presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC).

BACKGROUND

In June, the presidency distanced itself from the organisation, insisting that it does not exist under the current administration.

In a statement, Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, said his office did not appoint an individual named Adeniyi Adeyemi for the organisation.

However, Adeyemi, convener of the disputed PFIPC, challenged Gbajabiamila’s disclaimer distancing himself from the body while calling on the president to establish an independent panel to investigate the controversy.

Adeyemi questioned how the PFIPC allegedly appeared in the 2026 budget if, as maintained by the presidency, the body does not exist.

He alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded a N400 million bribe.

On Wednesday, the presidency further accusedAdeyemi of forging an appointment letter and falsely presenting himself as a presidential appointee.

The Cable exclusively reported that the federal government granted a waiver to the controversial PFIPC to recruit 300 members of staff in August 2025.

‘ESTABLISH INDEPENDENT JUDICIAL PANEL INQUIRY’

Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Friday, Bola Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC, said the issue raised fundamental questions about governance, accountability and national security.

According to Abdullahi, the controversy has “exposed the staggering depth of institutional decay under the APC-led administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that it “suggests that under Tinubu’s watch, the presidency may have become a nest of fraudsters.”

The ADC spokesperson said the presidency’s response to the controversy failed to answer key questions and instead raised concerns about institutional integrity.

He said the probe of the disputed presidential council should cover 10 public officials and institutions, including Gbajabiamila; George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF); Didi Walson-Jack, head of the civil service of the federation; Tanimu Yakubu, director-general of the budget office; the ministry of foreign affairs; the office of the national security adviser (ONSA); the Department of State Services (DSS); the Nigeria Police Force (NPF); the office of the accountant-general of the federation; the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); and relevant national assembly committees.

Abdullahi said Adeyemi should be investigated over his alleged role in the creation and operation of the PFIPC and claims about the payments to senior government officials.

According to him, the proposed panel should have powers to summon witnesses, compel the production of documents and determine whether any public officials were involved in negligence, misconduct, abuse of office or criminal wrongdoing.

“If indeed the PFIPC was a fictitious organisation, then Nigerians deserve to know how a fictitious organisation allegedly secured recruitment approvals, budgetary allocations, official correspondence, diplomatic engagements, interactions with federal institutions, and recognition across multiple arms of government,” the statement reads.

The ADC spokesperson also faulted the presidency’s statement on the matter for focusing on clearing Gbajabiamila of wrongdoing without addressing how the alleged activities of the PFIPC were possible.

He alleged the Tinubu administration of applying double standards in handling corruption allegations, arguing that security and anti-graft agencies were swiftly deployed over allegations involving Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, while no similar action had been taken over claims involving the president’s chief of staff. (TheCable)