• Says suspect also floated FIPA, one other fictitious organisation
•Identifies collaborators in SGF, HoSF, AGF, Budget, NITDA offices
• Dare: Tinubu to study report, consult AGF before taking action
•FRSC: How phantom agency listed Tinubu as board chair
Deji Elumoye and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) yesterday absolved the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila of any blame in the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) saga.
The anti-graft body revealed that the purported Director General of the PFIPC, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, was never appointed by the federal government and that the appointment letter he presented was forged. It noted that the PFIPC was a fictitious organisation.
The commission also disclosed that Adeyemi, who is currently in custody, floated two additional fictitious government agencies, unlawfully occupied the office of the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), and exploited weaknesses in government verification processes with the alleged connivance and negligence of some public officials.
ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN) disclosed the findings while briefing journalists after submitting the commission’s interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Tinubu had on July 7 directed the anti-graft agency to investigate allegations by Adeyemi that he paid N400 million to the President’s Chief of Staff, Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as director general of the PFIPC. The commission was given 30 days to investigate the matter and submit its findings.
Aliyu said investigations established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the federal government and that the PFIPC was never created by any law, executive order or other valid instrument of government.
“We have discovered and it has been established that Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was never appointed by the federal government or any authority of government.
“The Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, which sometimes they call the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, was never established by any law, executive order or any other valid instrument of government, and the appointment letter presented by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was completely forged alongside similar documents used to perpetrate the illegal activities of the fake agency,” the ICPC said.
Aliyu disclosed that the fake organisation also relied on a forged gazette and other fabricated legal instruments to create the impression that it was a legitimate government agency.
He further revealed that investigators found that Adeyemi unlawfully took over the offices previously occupied by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council after breaking into the premises.
“If you recall, there was a gazette which was forged as an instrument used to support the fake agency. That gazette is illegal and never passed through the processes provided by law. The PFIPC also cannibalised the former Presidential Economic Advisory Council and illegally appropriated its offices and operational instruments.
“What we discovered was that the office used by the fake agency was the office of PEAC. The lock was broken and that was how he gained access to the office,” the anti-graft agency alleged.
According to the ICPC chairman, the suspect subsequently used the office to engage in widespread impersonation, false representation and other illegal activities.
Aliyu said the investigation equally exposed significant weaknesses in government verification processes and inter-agency coordination, which enabled the scheme to flourish.
“Our interim report found weaknesses in verification, inter-agency oversight and government processes. Those weaknesses were exploited by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew with some level of negligence and connivance,” he explained.
He, however, clarified that investigators found no evidence that any federal government funds were approved or disbursed to the fake organisation.
“Our investigation found that no funds of the federal government were approved or disbursed to the fake PFIPC or PEAC. We also discovered no weaknesses in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while the fake appointment letter did not originate from the Presidency,” the ICPC stressed.
Aliyu disclosed that the commission uncovered two additional fictitious agencies allegedly established by Adeyemi, namely the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership.
He explained that the suspect also changed the name of the PFIPC to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council in an apparent attempt to broaden its mandate and encroach on the responsibilities of legitimate government institutions.
The ICPC chairman further revealed that investigators identified collaborators whose acts of negligence or omission facilitated the activities of the fake agency.
According to him, officials linked to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Budget Office and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) were identified during the investigation.
Aliyu said the commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi, administrative sanctions against public officials whose negligence aided the operation of the fake agency and comprehensive institutional reforms to strengthen internal controls across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“We recommended that Adeniyi Adeyemi should be prosecuted. We also recommended administrative sanctions against public officers whose acts of omission and negligence facilitated the illegal operation of the fake PFIPC because our investigation found that some public officers failed to carry out due diligence and comply with established procedures.
“We also recommended institutional reforms to strengthen internal controls across MDAs to prevent similar occurrences in future,” he pointed out.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Mr. Sunday Dare said Tinubu would study the interim report and consult the Attorney General of the Federation before deciding on the next course of action.
According to Dare, the President directed that the findings be made public in the interest of transparency, while investigations by the National Assembly, the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant agencies would complement the process.
Meanwhile, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, disclosed before the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the matter that Tinubu was listed as Chairman of the Governing Board of the fake agency on its website.
He said the website also listed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and several ministers as members of the purported governing board.
Mohammed explained that the fake website, together with what appeared to be authentic government correspondence and successful verification of statutory payments through the REMITA platform, misled the FRSC into issuing official number plates for seven vehicles belonging to the organisation.
“It is important to note that the requests were made using what appeared to be the official letterhead of a federal government agency.
“As part of the verification process, the requests were personally delivered by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the director general. In addition, the Corps visited the official website indicated in the correspondence. The website bore a federal government domain and contained information consistent with that of a legitimate federal government institution,” he stated.
The Corps Marshal admitted shortcomings in the commission’s verification process, describing the incident as an isolated case, and disclosed that the FRSC had commenced steps to recover all official number plates issued to the fake organisation while strengthening its internal verification mechanisms.
However, Chairman of the House Ad Hoc Committee, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, faulted the FRSC for failing to detect what he described as glaring irregularities in the documents presented by Adeyemi, noting that it was abnormal for the President to serve as chairman of the board of such an organisation alongside virtually all key federal officials.
The documents tendered before the committee indicated that seven vehicles approved for registration included a 2024 black Lexus LX armoured vehicle, two 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser models, a Toyota Hilux GR and three Toyota Hilux Adventure vehicles.
Mohammed maintained that all chassis numbers were physically verified and matched the respective vehicles before the official federal government number plates were issued.