PFIPC Scandal: ADC Insists on Judicial Panel, Rejects ICPC probe

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Wednesday rejected President Bola Tinubu’s decision to hand the investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, controversy to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, insisting that only an independent judicial panel can conduct a credible inquiry into the matter.

The opposition party made its position known through a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi. It said although it welcomed the President’s decision to order an investigation, assigning the task to an agency under the executive arm of government could weaken public confidence in the outcome.

The PFIPC controversy began after the council appeared as one of the beneficiaries in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite the Presidency maintaining that no such agency exists under the Federal Government.

The issue attracted wider attention after Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claimed to be the council’s Director-General, made allegations against the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Presidency later dismissed Adeyemi’s claims, describing him as an impostor facing prosecution. Adeyemi, however, insisted that he possessed valid documents to support his position.

Following public criticism over the issue, President Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate how the council was included in the 2026 budget and ordered the commission to identify anyone responsible for the alleged budget insertion. The anti-graft agency was also given 30 days to complete the investigation and submit its report.

Reacting to the directive, the ADC said it had earlier called for an independent investigation and maintained that the inquiry should cover every aspect of the controversy instead of focusing on a single individual. The party argued that the Presidency, being connected to the matter, could not be seen as supervising a transparent investigation.

The party also criticised official statements describing appointment letters and other documents linked to the case as forged before the investigation had started. According to the ADC, investigators should be allowed to determine whether the documents were fake, improperly issued, fraudulently obtained or legitimately authorised after examining all available evidence.

The party further called on President Tinubu to direct his Chief of Staff to step aside if officials within the Presidency are expected to be investigated. It argued that allowing him to remain in office throughout the probe could create doubts about the credibility of the process.

The ADC also demanded that the complete investigation report be released to the public once the exercise is concluded, stating that public confidence would not be restored through limited disclosures or selective sanctions.

In addition, the party condemned the reported arrest of Adeyemi’s father, describing the action as intimidation. It argued that only a person directly accused of committing an offence should face arrest, adding that Nigerian law does not recognise criminal liability for family members.

The ADC said it would continue to monitor developments surrounding the PFIPC controversy, describing the matter as one of national importance that deserves a thorough and independent investigation.