The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has disclosed that documents linked to the organisation listed President Bola Tinubu and several senior government officials as members of its governing board.
The revelation was made during the committee’s ongoing probe into the activities of the PFIPC, an entity that investigators have since described as lacking legal backing from the Federal Government. According to the panel, documents presented during the investigation named President Tinubu alongside key public officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso, as members of the purported board.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, said the discovery formed part of the evidence being examined as lawmakers sought to determine how the organisation operated and obtained what appeared to be official recognition despite questions surrounding its legitimacy. He noted that the documents did not bear the expected security features associated with authentic government records.
The committee also questioned officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) over the issuance of official vehicle number plates to the council, despite the concerns surrounding its legal status. Lawmakers are investigating whether lapses within government agencies enabled the organisation to project itself as an official presidential body.
The development comes a day after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) submitted an interim report to President Tinubu, recommending the prosecution of the council’s promoter, Adeniyi Adeyemi. The anti-graft agency said its investigation found no legal basis for the existence of the PFIPC and concluded that neither the council nor its promoter had been lawfully established or appointed by the Federal Government.
The ICPC also cleared the Presidency of any wrongdoing in the matter, stating that its investigation found no evidence that President Tinubu or the Presidency authorised the creation of the council or the appointments it claimed. The commission said its findings pointed instead to the actions of individuals who allegedly created and promoted the fictitious organisation.
The House committee has vowed to continue its investigation, saying those found to have facilitated or benefited from the activities of the controversial council would be held accountable in accordance with the law.
