African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Bola Tinubu administration of attempting to conceal the truth surrounding the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal while diverting attention to the political opposition.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku alleged that the recent arrest of the self-acclaimed Director-General of the PFIPC, Adeniyi Adeyemi, was part of a broader plan to shift blame instead of exposing those responsible for the controversy.
According to the former vice president, the real issue extends beyond allegations against Adeyemi and centres on how an organisation now described by the Presidency as non-existent allegedly gained access to top government institutions, secured diplomatic recognition, recruited over 300 personnel, operated from a national secretariat and reportedly received public funds, including an alleged ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget.
He argued that such activities could not have taken place without the involvement or negligence of government officials.
Atiku also questioned the inclusion of ₦6.44 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act for a “Special Presidential Support Group for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers,” despite Nigeria’s elimination from the qualification race in November 2025.
He described the allocation as evidence of irregularities in the budgeting process, asking why funds were appropriated for a competition the country had already exited before the budget was prepared.
The former vice president further claimed that the PFIPC controversy had damaged Nigeria’s international reputation and warned against what he described as attempts to manipulate investigations to protect individuals within the government.
He noted that Adeyemi has accused senior government officials, including the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of involvement through alleged bribery payments, while stressing that the claims remain allegations that require an independent investigation.
Atiku rejected the investigation ordered by President Tinubu and assigned to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), arguing that it lacked credibility because officials within the administration had already been linked to the matter.
He called on the National Assembly to establish an independent bipartisan panel to investigate every aspect of the PFIPC scandal and urged the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society organisations, the diplomatic community and the public to resist any attempt to undermine transparency or accountability.
