Atiku Knocks Presidency’s Response To Phantom Agency Scandal

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ABUJA – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the presidency’s response to the con­troversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), ar­guing that it raises broader ques­tions about governance, account­ability and institutional oversight.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by his Se­nior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the presidency’s expla­nation of the matter had failed to address key issues surrounding the reported activities of the coun­cil and its alleged appearance in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

The former vice president was reacting to comments by presiden­tial spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, regarding the controversy over the PFIPC.

According to Atiku, if the Fed­eral Government maintains that the PFIPC was never a legally rec­ognised agency, it should explain reports that the council was listed in the 2026 budget with an alloca­tion of about N1.3 billion along­side the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

He questioned how a body described as non-existent could allegedly appear in budget docu­ments, asking which government agencies prepared and submitted the estimates, who defended them before the National Assembly, and how they were eventually approved.

Atiku also called for explana­tions from the National Assembly over the reported budget alloca­tion, saying lawmakers should clarify the processes through which the council was included in the appropriation.

He further urged the Central Bank of Nigeria and relevant financial regulatory agencies to explain how the alleged organ­isation reportedly carried out financial transactions if it lacked official recognition.

The former vice president also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough in­vestigation into the matter, stress­ing that anti-corruption efforts should be impartial and extend to all individuals and institutions connected with the controversy.

According to him, the issue has gone beyond the actions of any single individual and now raises concerns about the effec­tiveness of government institu­tions responsible for oversight, financial regulation and public accountability.

Atiku argued that the contro­versy underscores the need for greater transparency in public finance and budget implementa­tion, especially at a time when Ni­gerians continue to face economic hardship.

He called for an independent investigation into the PFIPC con­troversy, urging authorities to es­tablish the facts surrounding the council’s reported activities, its alleged inclusion in the national budget and any individuals or institutions that may have played a role.

The former vice president maintained that only a transpar­ent investigation would restore public confidence and provide Ni­gerians with clear answers on the issues raised by the controversy