President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the controversial “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” (PFIPC), a body the Presidency has described as fictitious and lacking any legal basis.
The President ordered that the investigation be concluded and a detailed report submitted to him within 30 days. The directive was announced in a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the order followed the discovery that the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and has no basis in any law, presidential instrument, executive approval, or any other lawful act of government.
At the centre of the scandal is one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who presented himself as the Director-General of the so-called council and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.
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The Presidency revealed that the ICPC has been tasked with investigating a wide range of issues, including the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other official government documents.
Ejes Gist News reports that the commission will also probe the use of a false claim of presidential appointment to seek or obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, as well as the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.
President Tinubu directed the commission to investigate not only the activities of the principal suspect and his collaborators but also the broader circumstances that may have enabled a fictitious body and a false claim of presidential appointment to gain an appearance of official legitimacy.
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Investigation into Fake PFIPC Council
The investigation will examine the origin and use of forged official documents, the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, and the opening and operation of any related bank accounts.
It will also probe the source and movement of any funds involved, as well as 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 President also directed the commission to identify weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited and to recommend immediate measures to prevent a recurrence.
All ministries, departments, and agencies of the Federal Government have been instructed to provide the ICPC, upon lawful request, with all relevant information, records, and assistance required for the timely completion of the investigation.
President Tinubu stressed that the integrity of the Presidency and federal institutions must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity, and the exploitation of weaknesses within the public service.
He further directed that all persons found culpable be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.
PFIPC Council CBN Account
The controversy has deepened in recent days, with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation clarifying that the PFIPC never completed the process required to operate a Central Bank of Nigeria account.
The OAGF noted that while an application to open the account was initiated, the process stalled because the names of authorised signatories were never submitted.
This revelation has raised further questions about how the body managed to gain any semblance of official recognition despite the incomplete process.
Additionally, the PFIPC reportedly received a total allocation of N1,302,978,784 in the 2026 budget, with N802,978,783 designated for personnel, N200,000,001 for overhead, and N300,000,000 for capital.
This budgetary provision has sparked widespread outrage, with many questioning how a body the Presidency insists is fictitious could appear in official government records and receive such a substantial allocation.
The inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act has become a central point of concern for critics who argue that it exposes significant gaps in the nation’s budgetary process.
The development has also drawn reactions from opposition figures and civil society organisations. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has weighed in, alleging a pattern of “budgetary manipulation” and challenging the administration to provide transparent answers.
Atiku questioned how the PFIPC could be captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act and called for a full, independent investigation into the matter. The Peoples Democratic Party has also demanded a broader probe, describing the scandal as evidence of institutional failure and calling on the National Assembly to exercise its oversight functions more effectively.
This scandal comes at a time when the Tinubu administration has been making concerted efforts to combat corruption and improve governance standards.
The President’s swift directive to the ICPC is seen by many as a positive step towards accountability, but critics argue that more needs to be done to address the systemic weaknesses that allowed such an alleged fraud to occur in the first place.
As the 30-day investigation unfolds, all eyes will be on the ICPC to see how thoroughly it pursues the matter and whether those found culpable will face the full weight of the law.
The PFIPC saga has also highlighted the vulnerability of government institutions to impersonation and fraud, raising urgent questions about the verification processes for official documents and appointments.
Many Nigerians have expressed concern that if a fictitious body could operate with such apparent legitimacy, other similar schemes may be exploiting institutional gaps across the public sector. The findings of the ICPC investigation are expected to provide critical insights into how the system can be strengthened to prevent future occurrences.
As the investigation progresses, the Presidency has maintained that it remains committed to rooting out corruption and ensuring that all persons involved in the alleged scheme are brought to justice. The directive to the ICPC underscores the administration’s determination to protect the integrity of public institutions and send a strong message that impersonation and fraud will not be tolerated.
For now, Nigerians await the outcome of the investigation, which could have far-reaching implications for public sector accountability and governance in the country.
