JUST IN: PFIPC Scandal — ADC warns ‘Presidency may have become a nest of fraudsters,’ demands independent probe

Crime Diary, Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate establishment of an independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal, which it says strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s governance and institutional integrity.

In a five‑part statement released on Friday, July 3, 2026, signed by its Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the ADC said the controversy surrounding the PFIPC and allegations of bribery involving President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, expose “the staggering depth of institutional decay” under the current administration.

The party described the scandal as “a matter that goes to the heart of the security and integrity of the Nigerian state,” accusing the Presidency of either complicity or incompetence for allowing a body it now calls “fictitious” to operate across multiple arms of government.

According to the ADC, the PFIPC allegedly engaged ministries, foreign diplomats, and public institutions, obtained official recognition, and even appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Bill with a budget running into billions of naira. The party said such activities raise serious questions about governance, accountability, and national security.

The ADC identified ten government institutions that must be investigated, including the offices of the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Civil Service, Budget Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Security Adviser, DSS, Nigeria Police Force, Accountant‑General, Central Bank, and relevant National Assembly committees.

It insisted that the matter “must not be swept under the Presidential red carpet,” urging President Tinubu to summon all implicated officials and compel the production of documents to determine the extent of negligence, collusion, or criminal wrongdoing.

The party argued that if the PFIPC was indeed fictitious, Nigerians deserve to know how such an entity allegedly secured recruitment approvals, budgetary allocations, and diplomatic engagements. Conversely, if the PFIPC was legitimate, the ADC said the government must explain why it publicly disowned the agency to defend one of its officials.

“The damage this scandal has done to the integrity of our public institutions is incalculable,” the statement read, warning that Nigeria’s credibility before international partners may suffer lasting harm.

The ADC accused the Tinubu‑led APC government of dragging the country “down to its moral and ethical level,” and urged citizens to demand accountability. It also criticized what it called a double standard, noting that while the government swiftly deployed anti‑corruption agencies against former Kaduna Governor Nasir El‑Rufai, it has not asked Gbajabiamila to step aside pending investigation.

“This glaring double standard undermines public confidence and reinforces the perception that there is one standard of accountability for political opponents and another for those within the inner circle of power,” the ADC said.

ADC concluded with a warning: “Every approval, every budgetary allocation, every official correspondence, and every public officer connected to this scandal will be subjected to the highest level of scrutiny. There will be no sacred cows, no untouchables, and no hiding place for corruption.”