President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of a purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and all matters connected to it.
The instruction was included in a statement released on Tuesday by the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The statement indicates that the president directed the anti-corruption agency to finalise its investigation and deliver a detailed report within 30 days.
The announcement indicated that the directive came after finding out that the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was not real and had never been created 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 appointed by the presidency.
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 disclosed that Tinubu ordered 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 asked the group to examine potential vulnerabilities in government procedures and recommend preventative actions.
He also directed all federal ministries, departments, and agencies to give the ICPC any relevant information and support for the inquiry.
“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 further ordered that “all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.”
During a press conference on June 25, Adeyemi, who is facing criminal charges for his alleged role in operating the council, which the Presidency claims is fictitious, accused the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding a 48% share of the council’s alleged N27.4 billion take-off grant, which amounts to approximately N12.5 billion.
He also claimed that Gbajabiamila collected N400 million through proxies in connection with appointments related to the business, abused his position, threatened individuals and media organisations, distorted budget processes, attempted to misuse security agencies, and took part in a cover-up.
Gbajabiamila, through his lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, has disputed the charges, claiming that he has never had contact with Adeyemi and threatening a N10 billion defamation suit over claims linking him to bribery, murder, and other criminal activity.
