PFIPC probe: Reps reveal Tinubu, Wike, Akume, Cardoso listed on fake council board

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the alleged activities of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has revealed that several senior government officials were listed as members of the council’s purported governing board.

The disclosure was made on Thursday by the committee chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, during an investigative hearing where lawmakers questioned the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, over the issuance of seven vehicle number plates to the organisation despite irregularities in its application documents.

Gagdi said the documents submitted to the FRSC allegedly listed President Bola Tinubu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, among members of the PFIPC governing board.

Others allegedly listed were the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Attorney-General of the Federation, and ministers overseeing finance, aviation, agriculture and food security, interior, budget and national planning, marine and blue economy, police affairs, transport, works and power.

The committee chairman questioned why the FRSC failed to independently verify the authenticity of the documents, particularly given the unusual composition of the purported governing board.

Gagdi also faulted the acceptance of a document presented as the organisation’s mandate despite the absence of what he described as official government security features.

“We are trying to expose the leakages so that agencies can close these gaps going forward. It is not to indict anybody,” Gagdi said.

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He maintained that the purported membership of top government officials on the council’s board, coupled with the questionable documentation submitted by the organisation, should have prompted the FRSC to seek confirmation from the Presidency and other relevant government institutions before approving the number plates.

Responding to the lawmakers, Mohammed said the FRSC followed its standard operating procedures in processing the PFIPC application.

He said the corps received the organisation’s application on April 4, 2025, followed by a reminder dated April 11, both signed by Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi.

According to him, the application contained documents purportedly establishing the council, outlining its mandate and governing structure, as well as details of the vehicles for which official number plates were being requested.

Mohammed said FRSC officials also examined the organisation’s website, which operated on a federal government domain, and visited its office at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.

He said the website and physical office created the impression that PFIPC was a legitimate federal government entity.

The FRSC boss added that officials verified the chassis numbers of the vehicles before approving the allocation of the number plates.

Mohammed said the corps was subsequently surprised to discover that PFIPC was not an authorised federal government agency.

He disclosed that the FRSC had commenced the retrieval of all official number plates issued to the organisation and introduced additional verification measures to prevent similar incidents.

The development comes amid a broader investigation into Adeyemi, who is accused of operating the purported government council.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recommended Adeyemi’s prosecution over the alleged activities of PFIPC.

Adeyemi had claimed that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, issued his appointment letter. Gbajabiamila, however, denied the allegation.

The ICPC cleared the Presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria of wrongdoing but identified institutional lapses in several ministries, departments and agencies.

The commission cited deficiencies involving institutions including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Budget Office and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

The House committee said its investigation was aimed at identifying weaknesses in government verification processes and ensuring that such institutional gaps are addressed to prevent individuals or organisations from impersonating federal agencies.