The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has called for a transparent, independent and time-bound investigation into the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), describing the matter as a serious test of accountability in Nigeria’s public governance system.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the coalition expresses concern over reports alleging the operation of a non-existent federal agency and the purported appointment of Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew as its Director-General.
The statement jointly signed by Yunusa Z. Ya’u and Mma Odi on behalf of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room says the controversy involves allegations of forged appointment letters, influence peddling, questionable budgetary allocations and corruption involving senior public officials.
The group while noting that the Presidency has denied any involvement by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and stated that the purported agency never existed, Situation Room said several unanswered questions require an independent investigation.
According to the coalition, media reports indicating that the alleged agency received a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act and that staff were reportedly posted to it by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service raise serious concerns about the integrity of government processes.
It questioned how a non-existent agency could allegedly appear in the national budget and whether public institutions may have inadvertently recognised or interacted with it.
“These are questions that cannot be settled through competing press statements or social media narratives. They require a transparent investigation conducted by competent institutions,” the statement says.
The coalition called for:
- The immediate suspension of anyone linked to the alleged agency pending investigation.
- An independent, thorough and time-bound investigation into its alleged formation, operations, funding claims, appointment letters and interactions with government institutions.
- Full cooperation from all public officials, agencies and individuals with relevant information.
- Public release of the investigation findings, subject to legitimate legal limitations.
- Prosecution of any individual found guilty of forgery, impersonation, fraud or abuse of office.
- A comprehensive audit of appointment processes, official communication channels and institutional verification mechanisms.
Situation Room also advocated the immediate establishment of a publicly accessible digital register of all constitutionally and statutorily recognised federal ministries, departments, agencies and presidential bodies to enable citizens and stakeholders verify the authenticity of public institutions and appointments.
The coalition cautioned against premature conviction of individuals in the court of public opinion, stressing that allegations must be tested through due process while official denials should not replace credible investigations where significant public interest questions remain unresolved.
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