Senate Distances Itself as Tinubu Orders ICPC Investigation of PFIPC
Pecohub President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate a fictitious body operating as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), and has given the anti-graft agency 30 days to unravel the alleged fraud and submit a comprehensive report.
The directive was conveyed yesterday in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and has no legal, constitutional or executive basis.
According to Onanuga, the investigation followed the discovery that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew allegedly masqueraded as the Director-General of the non-existent council and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.
The presidential spokesman said Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the alleged use of forged appointment letters and other official government documents, as well as claims that the fake presidential appointment was used to seek official recognition, diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, and open multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies.
Beyond the principal suspect, the President instructed the commission to identify and investigate all collaborators and determine how the fictitious organisation acquired the appearance of official legitimacy.
The probe, Onanuga said, will examine the origin and use of forged official documents, the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the source and movement of funds, and the role of any public official, financial institution, intermediary or private individual that may have facilitated or participated in the alleged scheme.
