Reps and IGP Clash Over Explosive PFIPC Scandal Inquiry!

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee, tasked with investigating the controversial inclusion of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in the 2026 Appropriation Act, recently reconvened its investigative hearing in Abuja. A key development arose when Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, requested the committee obtain a reproduction warrant from a competent court before the police could produce the embattled Director-General of the council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, who is currently in custody.

The IGP's request was conveyed through a police delegation, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Olufemi Akinola and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bashir Abdullahi. The Police Chief explained that Prince Adeniyi could not be brought before the lawmakers due to a subsisting court order for his detention, emphasizing that only a reproduction warrant would legally enable his appearance before the committee. Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, clarified that the police were not refusing to cooperate but were constrained by the existing legal directive, affirming the committee's commitment to operating within the confines of the law.

The hearing also featured critical testimonies that shed further light on the unfolding scandal. Mr. Joshua Luka, formerly Director of Consolidated Accounts and Director of Federal Projects/Financial Management Department in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, confirmed that a letter requesting an administrative code for the controversial council was signed by one Akanbi Adewale, who purportedly acted on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the State House. While Mr. Luka maintained that the council itself might not be inherently illegal, he argued that the officer responsible for dispatching the letter should be held accountable for allowing the acknowledgment copy to be intercepted by Prince Adeniyi instead of being returned to the Office of the Accountant-General.

Recalling a similar incident, Mr. Luka recounted how an employment racket in the Office of the First Lady between 2000 and 2005 was exposed after fraudsters forged a letter requesting employment for two officials. He noted that the fraud was uncovered when the correspondence returned to the State House, revealing that the First Lady had never issued such a directive. Hon. Gagdi remarked that the PFIPC fraud might have been detected earlier if the correspondence had genuinely reached the Permanent Secretary’s office, as they would have immediately indicated the non-existence of such a department.

Further testimony came from Mr. Bello Abubakar, Director of Special Duties in the State House, who confirmed that the controversial State House correspondence was indeed released to Prince Adeniyi. He clarified that personnel from respective agencies are typically responsible for picking up correspondence from his office. Amidst these revelations, Hon. Gagdi cautioned journalists and officials of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) against prematurely blaming the State House or the National Assembly for the scandal. He insisted that preliminary findings unequivocally pointed to forged documents and fictitious offices.

Hon. Gagdi explicitly declared the non-existence of portfolios such as Permanent Secretary of Administration and Director of Administration and Support Services in the State House, as well as any officer known as Akanbi Adewale. He urged the public to allow the investigation to proceed without politicization, disclosing that investigators had identified no fewer than 19 forged documents allegedly linked to Prince Adeniyi and his associates. The committee, he added, had uncovered extensive acts of document forgery, which would undergo further verification. The investigation is slated to conclude with closed-door sessions involving remaining agencies, with assurances of fair hearing for all parties.

Adding another layer to the administrative scrutiny, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), admitted that her office committed administrative errors in processing approvals connected to the purported Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC). She acknowledged that due diligence should have been performed before recognizing it as an ad hoc office, describing the incident as unprecedented in the history of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The Ad-hoc Committee is set to continue its engagement with the HCSF. The investigative hearing, initially scheduled for 11:00 a.m., experienced delays, with the Chairman and members arriving at the venue at approximately 12:46 p.m. Officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation were also in attendance, underscoring the broad scope of the ongoing inquiry.