African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has given President Bola Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to order an independent investigation into the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Atiku warned that failure to institute what he described as a transparent, comprehensive and independent probe would reinforce public suspicion that influential government officials may have benefited from the alleged fraud.
The former vice president, in a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the controversy had gone beyond the alleged actions of one individual and now raised serious questions about the credibility of government institutions and oversight mechanisms.
He argued that the Presidency’s explanation that the PFIPC never existed failed to address how the purported agency allegedly secured office space, interacted with government institutions, processed official transactions and held meetings with foreign diplomats.
“If the government wants Nigerians to believe that one man single-handedly created an office for himself, secured office space within a government facility, held meetings with foreign embassy delegations, paid courtesy visits to the EFCC, processed staff salaries through official channels and allegedly operated institutional accounts without the knowledge or collaboration of anyone in government, then that narrative raises even more troubling questions than it answers,” Atiku said.
The ADC chieftain maintained that while Adeniyi Adeyemi, identified by the Presidency as the alleged mastermind of the scandal, should answer for any wrongdoing if found culpable, the focus should extend to those who may have enabled the operation.
According to him, the key issue is how a purportedly non-existent government agency allegedly functioned within official structures without detection.
“At this point, the story looks less like a clean explanation and more like an attempt to isolate one man after an internal arrangement went sour. If Mr. Adeniyi Adeyemi committed fraud, he must face the law. But the bigger question is what kind of government system allows such an elaborate operation to pass through budgetary, administrative, security and institutional channels without detection,” he stated.
Atiku also referenced reports that the PFIPC was captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a multi-billion naira allocation and that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation allegedly approved the recruitment of more than 300 personnel into the agency.
He argued that such developments could not have occurred through mere administrative oversight.
According to him, the preparation of the national budget and recruitment into the federal civil service involve several layers of approval, making it implausible that a fictitious agency could have operated without institutional backing.
The former vice president further said the conflicting claims by Adeyemi, who has denied forging his appointment documents and insists he was lawfully appointed, make an independent investigation imperative.
“Whether his claims are true or false is not for the Presidency to determine through press statements. That is precisely why Nigeria needs an independent investigation. Let the facts speak. Let every document be examined. Let every approval be traced. Let every official who acted, neglected a duty or enabled this scandal be identified and held accountable,” he said.
Atiku warned that if President Tinubu fails to order an independent investigation within seven days, Nigerians would have reason to believe that influential figures within government were being shielded and that the administration was unwilling to fully expose those behind the alleged scandal.
He added that, “The President must order a comprehensive, independent investigation immediately. Anything short of that will amount to complicity by silence.”
The PFIPC controversy has dominated public discourse after the Presidency insisted the council is not a recognised federal agency and described Adeyemi as an impostor currently facing trial on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
