PFIPC: ADC Questions ICPC Probe, Says Government Cannot Investigate Itself

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to assign the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), arguing that the government cannot credibly investigate a matter in which it is directly implicated.

The opposition party said only an independent investigation would restore public confidence and determine the facts surrounding the controversial council, which the Presidency has said was never established or authorised by the Federal Government.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that the ICPC investigation would not meet the standard of impartiality required because the allegations involve institutions within the Federal Government.

“A government that is drowning in scandals cannot be trusted to investigate itself,” Abdullahi said.

The party’s position comes after President Tinubu directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the PFIPC controversy and submit its report within 30 days.

The ADC argued that the Presidency had already taken a position on some documents linked to the controversy by describing appointment letters and related materials as forged before the conclusion of any investigation.

Abdullahi said investigators should be allowed to determine independently whether the documents were forged, improperly issued, fraudulently obtained or legitimately produced through official channels.

“The investigation must be allowed to independently determine whether the documents were forged, improperly issued, fraudulently obtained, or lawfully issued under the authority of the Presidency,” he said.

According to him, the credibility of the process would depend on whether investigators were allowed to follow evidence without being influenced by prior official statements.

The opposition party called on President Tinubu to establish an independent judicial panel made up of respected Nigerians to investigate the controversy.

The ADC said such a panel would be better positioned to conduct a transparent inquiry and address public concerns over the alleged inclusion of PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

“A Presidency that is at the very heart of a historic scandal such as this does not have the credibility to authorise an investigation into a matter that has brought an entire country into disrepute,” Abdullahi said.

The party also demanded that the full, unredacted report of any investigation into the matter should be made public.

Abdullahi warned that releasing only selected findings or punishing a few individuals would not address the wider questions surrounding the controversy.

“The President must commit to releasing the full, unredacted report at the end of the investigation. Merely announcing the outcome, or punishing a few expendable officials or scapegoats, will not satisfy a nation crying out for justice,” he said.

The ADC also criticised the reported arrest of the father of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, a figure linked to the PFIPC controversy, describing the development as an attempt to intimidate individuals connected to the matter.

The party said such actions could create the perception that authorities were attempting to suppress information rather than uncover the truth.

“This act of intimidation only strengthens the impression that the government is panicking and is desperate to hide the truth rather than uncover it,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC maintained that Nigerian law does not support holding individuals criminally responsible for offences allegedly committed by others, insisting that investigations should focus on persons directly linked to any wrongdoing.

The party said the PFIPC controversy had exposed either serious institutional weaknesses or possible misconduct within government processes, adding that only a transparent and independent investigation could resolve the matter and restore public confidence.