Tinubu Orders ICPC Probe Into Alleged Fake Presidential Agency, Sets 30-Day Deadline
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a body the Federal Government says does not exist.
The directive was announced on Tuesday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The President also ordered the commission to conclude its investigation and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.
The order comes nearly a week after the Presidency, in a statement issued on July 1, said it had become aware of growing public interest surrounding Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew, who had been presenting himself as the Director-General of the purported PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC). The government maintained that both entities were never established by the Federal Government.
Explaining the basis for the investigation, the Presidency said the council being represented by Matthew has no legal backing. “The directive follows the discovery of the fictitious PFIPC, which was never established by the Federal Government of Nigeria and has no basis in any law, presidential instrument, executive approval, or other lawful act of Government,” the statement read in part. It added that Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the organisation and claimed to be a presidential appointee.
The investigation follows Adeyemi’s public rejection of the Presidency’s denial. Addressing journalists last week, he accused Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of making conflicting statements about the existence of both the PFIPC and the PEAC, and called for an independent investigation into the two bodies. Adeyemi also alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded financial inducements in connection with his purported appointment, claiming the Chief of Staff received N400 million through intermediaries and sought an additional N200 million. The allegations have not been substantiated, and Gbajabiamila has consistently denied any involvement. Adeyemi further argued that references to both the PFIPC and the PEAC appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act, questioning how the government could now insist the organisations never existed.
President Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate not only Matthew’s activities but also any collaborators and the broader circumstances that may have enabled the alleged fake agency to gain an appearance of legitimacy. The probe will cover alleged forgery of appointment letters and other government documents, claims of presidential appointments used to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support including visa facilitation, and the opening and operation of bank accounts in the names of the purported government agencies. The commission will also examine how false government documents were created and used, trace any funds connected to the alleged scheme, and determine whether any public officials, financial institutions, intermediaries or private individuals played roles in facilitating the activities.
The President further instructed the commission to identify weaknesses within government institutions that may have been exploited and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. All Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been directed to cooperate fully with the ICPC by providing all relevant records and information required for the investigation.
Emphasising the administration’s position, the Presidency said: “President Tinubu stated that the integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service.” The President directed that anyone found culpable should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The directive comes amid fresh developments in the controversy. On Tuesday, July 1, former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and handed over to the ICPC for further investigation over allegations linked to his time in office. The development marks the latest twist in the widening investigation surrounding the alleged activities of the purported PFIPC.
The matter first entered the public spotlight in June after the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President issued a public disclaimer stating that the PFIPC did not exist under the Tinubu administration and that no appointment had been made for anyone to head such an organisation. Since then, it has generated political reactions, with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) calling for Gbajabiamila’s removal, while former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, urged President Tinubu to suspend the Chief of Staff pending an investigation into the allegations made against him.
