President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and all related matters, demanding a comprehensive report within 30 days.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed the fresh directive in a statement he signed Tuesday titled ‘President Tinubu orders ICPC to investigate Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council,’ wherein the president ordered that all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.
Disclosing that “one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew presented himself as the Director-General of the so-called PFIPC and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee,” the statement added that Tinubu “directed the ICPC to investigate not only the conduct of the principal individual and other collaborators involved but also the wider circumstances that may have enabled a fictitious body and a false claim of presidential appointment to acquire an appearance of official legitimacy.”
“Among the issues to be investigated by the ICPC are the forged appointment letters and other official government documents; the use of a false claim of presidential appointment to seek or obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation; and the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.
“The investigation is to examine the provenance and use of false official documents; the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained; the opening and operation of any related bank accounts; the source and movement of any funds involved; and the role of any public officer, private individual, financial institution, intermediary or other person or entity that may have facilitated, enabled or participated in the alleged scheme,” it read.
It stated that Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the forged appointment letters and official government documents allegedly used by one Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, who presented himself as Director-General of the so-called council and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.
The investigation is also to cover his use of a false claim of presidential appointment to seek or obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, as well as the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.
Tinubu also ordered the ICPC to examine “the wider circumstances that may have enabled a fictitious body and a false claim of presidential appointment to acquire an appearance of official legitimacy.” The anti-graft agency was also tasked to identify any weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited and to recommend immediate measures to prevent the recurrence of similar abuses.
The President stated that the integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service.
