PFIPC controversy lays bare extent of systemic rot, ADC blasts presidential office

The African Democratic Congress is demanding an independent judicial commission of inquiry into the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, citing the President Bola Tinubu-led government's failure to provide a clear explanation for the organisation's alleged operations across multiple federal institutions.

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The opposition party claims that the presidency's defence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has raised more questions than answers, and that the scandal has become a test of the integrity of Nigeria's public institutions, with the party's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, issuing a statement on Friday.

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The statement exposed what the party described as "The staggering depth of institutional decay" in the current government, with Abdullahi reacting to a July 1 statement by the presidency through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, which described the PFIPC as a fictitious organisation.

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The ADC argues that if the presidency's position is accurate, Nigerians deserve an explanation as to how an organisation without legal existence allegedly secured recruitment approvals, appeared in government budget documents, corresponded with public institutions, engaged foreign diplomats, and interacted with multiple government agencies.

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The party's statement noted that "By the presidency's own account, a body it now describes as 'fictitious' allegedly managed to operate across multiple arms of the APC-led federal government, interfacing with ministries, corresponding with public institutions, engaging foreign diplomats, obtaining official recognition from various quarters, and leaving behind a trail that raises serious questions about governance, accountability, and national security."

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The ADC also stated that "It is no longer a matter involving one individual, it is a matter that goes to the heart of the security and integrity of the Nigerian state," and argued that the presidency's decision to focus on clearing Gbajabiamila of wrongdoing rather than explaining how the alleged scheme was able to thrive suggests "The administration is either complicit or incompetent."

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The party referenced allegations that Gbajabiamila received between N200m and N600m from Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, saying the claims, alongside documentary evidence already circulating publicly, warranted an independent investigation, with the party identifying 10 institutions and public officials that should be investigated.

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These institutions include the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Budget Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and relevant committees of the National Assembly.

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The proposed judicial panel should be empowered to summon witnesses, compel the production of documents, and determine whether any acts of negligence, abuse of office, collusion, or criminal wrongdoing were committed, according to the party.

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The ADC stated that "This matter must not be swept under the presidential red carpet," and that "Only a truly independent judicial inquiry can establish the facts, identify those responsible, and restore public confidence in the integrity of our institutions."

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The opposition party accused the Federal Government of applying different standards in handling corruption allegations involving political opponents and senior officials within the presidency, citing the government's response to allegations involving former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

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The party noted that agencies such as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Department of State Services were promptly deployed in the case involving El-Rufai, but the same government has not deemed it necessary to ask Femi Gbajabiamila to step aside pending an independent investigation.

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The ADC warned that if the Tinubu-led government failed to order a transparent investigation, an ADC government would revisit the matter if elected into office, with the party stating that "Every approval, every budgetary allocation, every official correspondence, every financial transaction, and every public officer connected to this scandal will be subjected to the highest level of scrutiny."

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The party noted that "There will be no sacred cows, no untouchables, and no hiding place for corruption," and that the PFIPC controversy emerged following allegations linking the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council to questionable official approvals, recruitment exercises, budgetary allocations, and interactions with several government institutions.

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The controversy has continued to generate public debate, with opposition parties demanding a fuller explanation of how the organisation allegedly operated within government circles despite its purported non-existence, while the presidency has maintained that the council is a fictitious organisation and has dismissed allegations against the President's Chief of Staff.