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President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the activities of a purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and all matters connected to it.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the President ordered the anti-graft agency to conclude its investigation and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.
The statement said the directive followed the discovery that the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was fictitious and had never been established by the Federal Government.
“The directive follows 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,” the statement read.
It alleged that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the council and claimed to be a presidential appointee.
Among the issues to be investigated, the Presidency said, are “the forged appointment letters and other official government documents; 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.”
The statement added that President Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate not only the activities of the principal suspect and his collaborators but also the broader circumstances that enabled the alleged scheme.
“The investigation is to 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,” it stated.
The President also directed the commission to identify weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
He further instructed all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government to provide the ICPC with all relevant information and assistance required for the investigation.
“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,” the statement stated.
The President also directed “that all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.”
Recall that on June 25, during a press conference, Adeyemi, who is facing criminal charges over his alleged role in operating the council, a body the Presidency says is fictitious, accused the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding a 48 per cent share of the council’s alleged N27.4 billion take-off grant, amounting to about N12.5 billion.
He also alleged that Gbajabiamila received N400 million through proxies in connection with appointments linked to the entity, abused his office, intimidated individuals and media organisations, manipulated budget processes, sought to misuse security agencies and participated in a cover-up.
However, Gbajabiamila, through his lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, has denied the allegations, maintained that he has never had any contact with Adeyemi, and threatened a N10 billion defamation suit over claims linking him to bribery, murder and other criminal conduct.
