Fake agency: Disagreements stall Reps panel report

Disagreements within the House of Representatives ad hoc committee have hindered the drafting of the final report investigating the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC). The committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, a lawmaker from Plateau State, has been operating for over a month and is currently finalizing its report for presentation during the next plenary session.

Officials from various government agencies, including the Head of the Civil Service, Didi Walson-Jack, and several directors from the Central Bank, Budget Office, and the Office of the Accountant-General, were questioned regarding their roles in the purported agency's recognition. Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claimed to be the agency's Director-General, alleged that he paid N400m to the Chief of Staff of President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, to facilitate his appointment.

However, the Presidency and Gbajabiamila's office denied these allegations, labeling the agency as fictitious and accusing Adeyemi of forging documents. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission cleared the Presidency and recommended Adeyemi's prosecution. While Gagdi initially planned to hold a press conference after questioning the government institutions, this has yet to occur.

A further dispute within the 12-member committee involves the absence of an invitation for Gbajabiamila to testify, which some members believe should be addressed to avoid public criticism. Amnesty International and Transparency International criticized the investigation, stating that it exposes weaknesses in Nigeria's governance institutions and risks concluding without answering fundamental questions about the PFIPC controversy.