Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has demanded a full and transparent investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal, insisting that the interim report of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) raises more questions than it answers.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the ICPC report could not be presented as an exoneration of the Presidency when it reportedly identified instances of “negligence and connivance” within government processes.
According to Atiku, the findings indicate that an individual allegedly forged a presidential appointment letter, created a fictitious federal agency, appropriated offices and instruments previously associated with the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and opened bank accounts using forged legislative documents.
The individual, identified as Adeyemi, was also accused of impersonating government officials and creating two additional fictitious agencies.
Atiku questioned how such activities could have continued without assistance, negligence or oversight failures from public officials.
“If there was connivance, who connived? If public officers were negligent, who are they? Who granted access to government offices? Who recognised this supposed Director-General? Who enabled him to operate within the machinery of government?”
The former vice president argued that the alleged recommendation of sanctions against public officers whose negligence facilitated the activities contradicted any attempt to portray the matter as the work of a lone impostor.
“A fake agency does not walk into government offices by itself. A forged appointment letter does not validate itself. Bank accounts do not open themselves,” Atiku said.
He demanded that the identities of officials found culpable be made public, arguing that Nigerians deserve to know who authorised or facilitated access to government offices and instruments.
Atiku also called for an open National Assembly investigation into the controversy, particularly following Adeyemi’s reported request to appear before lawmakers in a hearing broadcast live on national television.
He said the Presidency should not oppose such a hearing if it was confident that government officials had no involvement in the alleged fraud.
“If the Villa is truly clean, it should be the first to welcome live television coverage. Let Nigerians watch, unedited, as the witnesses testify, and the evidence is presented under oath.”
The ADC presidential candidate further demanded the publication of the full ICPC report and the identities of all public officials found culpable.
He maintained that an interim report should not be used as a “presidential certificate of innocence” while investigations into alleged collaborators and associated bank accounts remain ongoing.
Atiku warned that anything short of a transparent investigation could deepen public suspicion that influential individuals were being shielded.
He concluded with a pointed question:
“The question remains: WHO INSIDE THE VILLA OPENED THE DOOR?”
