- Gives 30-day deadline to submit findings
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to unravel the alleged fraud surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), directing the anti-graft agency to investigate the fictitious organisation, its promoters, collaborators and financial transactions, and submit its findings within 30 days.
The presidential directive marks a major escalation in the Federal Government’s response to the alleged operation of the non-existent council, whose promoters are accused of using forged presidential documents and false claims of official appointments to seek government recognition, diplomatic privileges and other benefits.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the PFIPC was never created by the Federal government and has no legal basis, presidential approval or executive authorisation.
According to the Presidency, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the organisation and claimed to have been appointed by President Tinubu.
The President directed the ICPC to determine how the alleged scheme operated and why a fictitious government body was able to assume an appearance of legitimacy despite lacking any legal existence.
The investigation will cover the alleged forgery of presidential appointment letters and other government documents, the use of the purported appointment to obtain official recognition, diplomatic support and visa facilitation, as well as the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.
Tinubu also instructed the Commission to trace the source and movement of funds linked to the alleged operation and identify every individual or organisation that may have participated in, facilitated or benefited from the scheme.
The Presidency said investigators are expected to examine the roles of public officials, private individuals, financial institutions and intermediaries who may have enabled the operation of the alleged fraudulent council.
Beyond establishing criminal liability, the President directed the ICPC to identify weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited to create the impression that the PFIPC was an official Federal Government body and recommend measures to prevent similar occurrences.
To facilitate the investigation, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been instructed to provide the Commission with relevant records and other assistance whenever lawfully requested.
Tinubu said the integrity of the Presidency and institutions of government must be protected from impersonation, forgery and the abuse of official identity, stressing that anyone found culpable should be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The directive comes as criminal proceedings are already pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew and others over allegations of forging presidential appointment documents and official letterheads allegedly used to present the PFIPC as a legitimate government institution.
By ordering a wider ICPC investigation, the President has expanded the focus beyond the ongoing court case to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud, establish whether public institutions or officials aided the scheme, recover any illicit proceeds where necessary and recommend reforms to strengthen safeguards against the misuse of the Presidency’s identity.
