ICPC has come under fresh scrutiny over its declaration of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office as a fake government agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The controversy deepened on Saturday after officials within the OSGF claimed that the anti-graft commission may have been given misleading information about the status of the project office.
According to the officials, an internal disagreement between George Nwabueze, the promoter of the project office, and some directors in the SGF’s office may have triggered the petition that eventually led to the ICPC investigation.
The ICPC had on August 21 announced that it uncovered what it described as another fake federal agency operating from within the OSGF premises.
The commission identified the organisation as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office and named Nwabueze as its promoter.
ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, said the discovery was made during an ongoing investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC.
Following the briefing, President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries in the OSGF.
The affected officials were identified as M.S. Danjuma, Nandungu Gagare and Richard Pheelangwa.
However, officials within the OSGF have now disputed the description of the project office as a fake agency.
One of the officials said the organisation should not be regarded as an agency because it was established as a special project office.
“It is not a fake agency. It is a project office. The ICPC was misled into believing it is a fake agency by some directors.
“There was a disagreement between him (Nwabueze) and some directors over some issues, which prompted the directors to petition the ICPC, alleging that someone was running a fake office.
“Instead of the ICPC doing due diligence, they saw it as an opportunity to declare that they had discovered another fake agency. That is far from it. It is a project office, not an agency. It can wind down anytime.”
Another official questioned why the project had remained within the OSGF for years if it had no connection with government.
“How does a project office become an agency, and why has it been operating since 2010 in that office? ICPC didn’t discover anything; they were misinformed by some people at the SGF office who have scores to settle with the promoter of that office.”
The claims have not been independently established, and the ICPC has not publicly accepted the allegation that its investigation was influenced by an internal dispute.
Nwabueze Rejects ICPC Allegation
Nwabueze has also rejected the allegation that he operated an unauthorised government agency.
In a statement issued through the Directorate of Legal Affairs and Strategic Communications, he maintained that the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office was an approved public-private initiative linked to the OSGF.
He further accused some serving and retired officials of frustrating the project through what he described as administrative sabotage and the withholding of official documents.
Nwabueze said he had written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on May 15, 2026, complaining about the alleged withholding of important project files.
Among the documents he referred to was one concerning Nigeria’s advance delegation to the Asia-Africa Summit 2026, as well as files connected to sub-national energy programmes.
The dispute has also moved into the courts.
Nwabueze said he filed Suit No. CV/2634/26 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over what he described as attempts to remove the project office from the OSGF without following due administrative procedures.
“The entire subject matter remains subjudice before a court of competent jurisdiction,” he said.
He also relied on what he described as official documents linking the project to the OSGF.
Nwabueze said the project was anchored on Executive Orders 003 and 005 of 2017 and 2018.
He also cited a correspondence from the Political and Economic Affairs Office of the OSGF, referenced PS-PEAO/2025/008/4.
According to him, the correspondence approved a five-member technical committee to supervise the project’s development objectives, monitoring framework and public-private implementation structures.
Earlier reports also indicated that Nwabueze released an appointment letter purportedly issued by the OSGF.
The document reportedly identified him as National Coordinator and Executive Director of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office and referred to the use of office space within the OSGF complex.
The authenticity and full legal effect of the documents remain matters of contention.
Presidency Asks Nigerians to Await Final Report
The Presidency has meanwhile urged Nigerians not to reach conclusions before the ICPC completes its investigation.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the commission had submitted a preliminary report but was still working on the matter.
He said President Tinubu expected the anti-corruption agency to complete the investigation and make recommendations on how identified weaknesses in the public service could be addressed.
“The ICPC has not finished their work. At the end of their investigation, they are supposed to make recommendations to the President and he is expecting them to. They have submitted their preliminary report; they are continuing with their work, and the President has asked them to make recommendations on how to strengthen the system where weaknesses have been spotted. The ICPC has said they have identified weaknesses in the system, so let’s wait for them to do their job.”
Reps Rule out Separate Probe for now
The House of Representatives has also indicated that it may not launch a separate investigation into the activities of the Made-in-Nigeria project office while the ICPC inquiry is still underway.
Deputy spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese, said the matter was not currently before the Green Chamber.
He said lawmakers would not interfere with an investigation already being conducted by the anti-corruption commission.
“The matter is not before the House. If the ICPC is already investigating it, I think Nigerians should allow the commission to do its work. What we have in the House is the PFIPC issue and of course, everyone knows that the Ad-hoc Committee set up by the leadership of the House to look into the allegations is about to conclude its assignment.”
