Despite exonerating his Chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila from the scandal, president Bola Tinubu has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a “thorough investigation” into the controversial ‘Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC)’.
The directive was disclosed in a statement issued by the spokesman of the president Chief Bayo Onanuga.
He said Tinubu has directed the anti-graft agency to conclude the investigation and submit a holistic report to him within 30 days.
In its statement on Tinubu’s directive, the presidency said the PFIPC “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”.
“Among the issues to be investigated by the ICPC 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 reads.
“President Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate not only the conduct of the principal individual and other collaborators involved but also the wider circumstances that may have enabled a fictitious body and a false claim of presidential appointment to acquire an appearance of official legitimacy.”
“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.”
The ICPC was also tasked with identifying any weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited, and to recommend immediate measures to prevent the “recurrence of similar abuses”.
All ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government were also directed to provide the ICPC, upon lawful request, with all relevant information, records and assistance required for the expeditious completion of the investigation.
Meanwhile, in June, the presidency distanced itself from the PFIPC and its convener Adeniyi Adeyemi, insisting that the organisation does not exist under the current administration.
In a statement, Gbajabiamila had said his office did not appoint Adeyemi to any position in the organisation.
However, at a press conference on June 26, Adeyemi questioned the June 11 disclaimer from Gbajabiamila.
On July 7, Gbajabiamila threatened a N10 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi over allegations of murder and bribery.
