The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called for an independent investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President accused the Tinubu administration of attempting to cover up the scandal and protect those allegedly involved.
Atiku claimed the arrest of self-styled PFIPC Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, was intended to pressure him into implicating opposition figures instead of exposing those responsible.
He questioned how an organisation the Presidency described as non-existent allegedly gained access to the Presidential Villa, secured diplomatic recognition, recruited over 300 staff, operated from the National Secretariat, and received a N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
According to Atiku, the real issue is not the existence of the PFIPC but the alleged involvement of government officials who legitimised its activities and granted it access to public institutions.
He also queried the reported N6.44 billion allocation for a “Special Presidential Support Group for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers,” despite Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the tournament in November 2025.
Adeyemi, who is facing charges of forgery and impersonation, had alleged that he paid N400 million in bribes and mentioned the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, among those connected to the matter.
Atiku rejected the investigation ordered by President Bola Tinubu through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), arguing that it could not be impartial because government officials had been named in the allegations.
He urged the National Assembly to set up a bipartisan investigative panel to determine who authorised the PFIPC, approved its funding, facilitated its operations, and benefited from its activities.
