The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to investigate the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, scandal insisting that only an independent judicial panel can conduct a credible probe.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi stating that while it welcomed the President’s decision to order an investigation, assigning the probe to the ICPC, an agency under the Executive, could undermine public confidence in the process.
“We insist, however, that only an independent judicial panel will be able to provide answers beyond all reasonable doubt to the many questions that this historic scandal has thrown up,” the statement read.
PUNCH Online reports that PFIPC sparked nationwide controversy after it appeared as one of the beneficiaries in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite the Presidency insisting that no such agency exists under the Federal Government.
The controversy intensified after Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as Director-General of the council, accused Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila of corruption.
But the presidency disowned Adeyemi, saying he is a fraud and being prosecuted, claims he debunked, stating that he has legitimate documents.
As public outrage intensified, Tinubu on Tuesday directed ICPC to investigate how the council was inserted into the 2026 Appropriation Act despite not being recognized by the Federal Government.
The President also ordered that everyone found culpable in the alleged budget insertion be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law, while directing relevant authorities to unravel the circumstances that led to the controversial allocation.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu directed the anti-graft agency to submit its findings within 30 days.
Reacting, ADC said it had earlier called for an independent inquiry into the matter and argued that the investigation should not be limited to the actions of a single individual.
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It added that the Presidency’s initial response sought to explain away the allegations but had now accepted the need for an investigation.
The party, however, argued that the Presidency, being at the centre of the controversy, lacked the credibility to supervise the investigation.
“A Presidency that is at the very heart of a historic scandal such as this does not have the credibility to authorize an investigation into a matter that has brought an entire country into disrepute,” it said.
The opposition party also accused the Presidency of prejudging the outcome of the investigation by describing appointment letters and other documents linked to the case as forged before the probe had begun.
“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. The credibility of the entire exercise depends on allowing investigators to follow the evidence wherever it leads, rather than predetermining the outcome through official pronouncements,” it stated.
The ADC further called on the President to direct his Chief of Staff to proceed on leave if the investigation would examine the conduct of officials connected to the Presidency.
“As long as he remains an active official of government, it creates the impression that the President is deliberately shielding a key party in this matter,” the statement said.
The party also demanded that the full, unredacted report of the investigation be made public upon completion.
It argued that merely announcing the outcome or sanctioning a few officials would not satisfy public demands for accountability.
The ADC also condemned the reported arrest of the father of Adeyemi Adeniyi, describing it as intimidation.
“The ADC condemns the reported arrest of the father of Mr. Adeyemi Adeniyi. This act of intimidation only strengthens the impression that the government is panicking and is desperate to hide the truth rather than uncover it.
“If indeed a crime has been committed, only the suspect can be legally arrested. It is an established fact that Nigerian law does not have provision for vicarious liability.
The party said it would continue to monitor developments, describing the PFIPC controversy as a national security matter that should not be “swept under the Presidential red carpet,” the statement added.
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