PFIPC Scandal Atiku Gives Tinubu Seven-day Ultimatum For Independent Probe

PFIPC scandal Atiku gives Tinubu seven-day ultimatum for independent probe Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, demanding the immediate establishment of an independent investigation into the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council PFIPC. Atiku, in a statement released through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, insisted that only a transparent and impartial inquiry would restore public confidence in government institutions amid growing concerns over the alleged scandal. He warned that failure to act within the stipulated timeframe could deepen public suspicion that powerful interests within the government may have benefited from the alleged fraud. The PFIPC controversy has recently triggered widespread debate after reports emerged questioning the existence and legality of the agency, with allegations that it may have been fraudulently operated under official cover. According to Atiku, the Presidency’s explanation that the PFIPC is a fictitious body does not resolve key contradictions surrounding its alleged operations, including claims that it appeared in official budget documents and was linked to recruitment activities within government structures.

He argued that it would be “unreasonable” to assume that such an entity could allegedly function within the Federal Civil Service system—accessing official facilities, interacting with institutions, and engaging with foreign representatives without any level of awareness or complicity from government actors. Atiku maintained that the matter goes beyond allegations against an individual and raises broader concerns about institutional oversight, budgeting processes, and accountability within the public sector. He further stated that budgetary inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act, reportedly with significant financial allocation, as well as claims of recruitment approvals, make the situation too serious to be dismissed as administrative error. “The President must order a comprehensive, independent investigation immediately. Anything short of that will amount to complicity by silence,” Atiku was quoted as saying. The PFIPC controversy has continued to generate reactions from political stakeholders, civil society organisations, and analysts, with calls for a neutral probe to determine how the alleged organisation operated and whether due process was followed.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has maintained that the PFIPC is not a recognised federal agency and has accused individuals linked to it of forgery and impersonation. Authorities also confirmed that related suspects are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The dispute has further intensified political tension, with opposition figures insisting that only an independent investigation can clarify the extent of institutional failures that allowed the situation to emerge.