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…HOS Denies Allocating Office To Fake Agency
ABUJA – The controversies trailing the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) is yet to wake as Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, appeared before the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday to answer questions linking him to the fraudulent agency.
Principal counsel to the Chief of Staff, Jiti Ogunye, disclosed the information in a statement, confirming that his client has gone to honour the invitation in line with the president’s directive that the matter be probed further.
Ogunye stated, “Gbajabiamila responds to ICPC invitation over ongoing investigation into ‘PFIPC’ fake agency.
“In full cooperation with the ICPC acting as directed by the President of Nigeria, I hereby confirm that my client, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria, responded to the invitation of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and appeared at about 15:00hrs on Monday, July 20, 2026, as part of the ongoing investigation into the activities of the ‘PFIPC’ fake agency, among others.
“My client gave his testimony, responded to questions accordingly, and has returned to his duty post’.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had directed the ICPC to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of a Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and all related matters.
A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, had also noted that Tinubu directed that the investigation be concluded and a comprehensive report submitted to him within 30 days.
The directive followed 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.
Recall also that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew had presented himself as the Director-General of the so-called PFIPC and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.
Tinubu specifically asked the anti-graft agency to investigate the forged appointment letters and other official government documents.
He also instructed the ICPC to probe 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.
He instructed that the ICPC must 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.
According to the presidency, the investigation must also 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.
Tinubu said the commission must identify any weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited and to recommend immediate measures to prevent the recurrence of similar abuses.
He directed all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government to provide the ICPC, upon lawful request, with all relevant information, records and assistance required for the expeditious completion of the investigation.
According to the president, 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.
He also directed that all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.
HOS Denies Allocating Office To Controversial PFIPC
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOSCF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, on Monday, told the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the alleged fraud surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) that her office never allocated office accommodation to the council.
Walson-Jack made the clarification while appearing before the committee on Monday, which is probing allegations that one Adeyemi Adeniyi fraudulently presented himself as the Director- General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council using a purported presidential appointment later alleged to be fake.
The controversy prompted the House of Representatives to investigate the legality of the council’s establishment, the authenticity of the appointment documents, the recruitment of staff, office allocation, and the alleged misuse of public funds and government facilities. As part of its inquiry, the committee is examining the roles played by relevant government agencies in the council’s operations and whether due process was followed in its establishment and activities.
Responding to questions from lawmakers, Walson-Jack said records available to her office showed that the office space reportedly occupied by the council at the Federal Secretariat, Phase III, was officially allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), and not to the PFIPC.
She explained that while the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is responsible for allocating office accommodation within the Federal Secretariat complexes, no allocation was ever made to the council under investigation.
“There is speculation that the council occupied office space in the Federal Secretariat Phase III.
We can state categorically that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation did not allocate any office space to the council,” she said.
“The office space indicated as the council’s official address forms part of the office accommodation allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for the use of the OSGF and presidential bodies.”
The Head of Service further disclosed that the council had applied for approval of its organisational structure and authorised establishment but initially failed to provide the required supporting documents, resulting in the request not being approved at the time.
She, however, explained that during the 2025 Annual Manpower Budget Defence Exercise, the council later submitted additional documents, including the appointment letter of its Director-General and details of its mandate.
The request was subsequently processed alongside those of 87 other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
According to her, an authorised establishment for 314 positions was later issued to the council, while a recruitment waiver followed shortly afterwards.
Walson-Jack, however, clarified that her office neither deployed staff to the council nor approved any recruitment into the organisation.
She stressed that recruitment into federal agencies is the responsibility of the agencies themselves, while matters relating to the establishment, supervision and operational oversight of presidential councils fall outside the mandate of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
She urged the committee to direct further inquiries regarding the establishment and operations of the council to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other relevant government institutions.
The committee is expected to continue its investigation into the activities, funding and legal status of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council amid allegations of fraud and procedural irregularities surrounding its operations.
