The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has admitted that due diligence fell short in the process that led to the recognition of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), accepting responsibility for the oversight.
Appearing before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the council’s operations, Walson-Jack said her office relied on documents that appeared genuine without carrying out sufficient verification.
She told lawmakers that the documents bore the State House logo and what seemed to be a familiar signature, leaving officials with no immediate reason to question their authenticity.
However, she said subsequent checks, including comparisons with genuine State House correspondence and police forensic findings, revealed that the signatures were different.
Walson-Jack assured the committee that her office would strengthen its internal verification processes to prevent similar lapses in the future.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Olufemi Akinola, informed the committee that the self-acclaimed Director-General of the purported council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, could not appear before lawmakers because of an existing court order.
According to the police, Adeyemi can only testify before the committee if directed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Following the submission, the committee adjourned its sitting until next week.
The investigation stems from allegations made by Adeyemi, who claimed that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, demanded 48 percent of the council’s ₦27.3 billion takeoff grant.
He also alleged that the Chief of Staff received ₦400 million through a proxy and requested an additional ₦200 million to facilitate presidential approvals.
Gbajabiamila has denied the allegations, insisting he has no personal, official or professional relationship with Adeyemi.
He also rejected claims that he demanded or received money, denied involvement in the alleged death of Babatunde Tanimola, who was said to have acted as an intermediary, and dismissed allegations linking him to an assassination attempt or interference in security investigations.
Following the allegations, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter.
The House of Representatives subsequently constituted a 12-member ad hoc committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the disputed council, its inclusion in the 2026 budget and the alleged allocation of ₦1.3 billion to the agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
Also appearing before the committee, Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, said none of the funds appropriated for the council had been spent.
He explained that although the National Assembly approved funding for the agency, the legal conditions required for the release and expenditure of the money were never fulfilled.
Author
