The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed deep concern over the escalating controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The crisis involves conflicting claims regarding the agency’s legality, its inclusion in the 2026 national budget, and corruption allegations against President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
What started as a dispute over a government office has quickly snowballed into a major national crisis, threatening public accountability, fiscal transparency, and the institutional integrity of the Federal Government.
The allegations made by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi are too serious to be dismissed with press statements, political spin or administrative denials. Nigerians have been confronted with disturbing claims involving alleged bribery, disputed appointments, budgetary allocations running into billions of naira, alleged government recognition of an agency publicly disowned by the Presidency, and questions regarding official engagements allegedly undertaken on behalf of the disputed council.
Even more troubling is the fact that documents and reports in the public domain appear to show that the PFIPC was captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act with substantial budgetary provisions. If the agency truly does not exist, then Nigerians deserve to know how a supposedly non-existent body found its way into the national budget after passing through multiple layers of executive scrutiny, legislative consideration and presidential approval.
If, on the other hand, the agency exists or existed in some official capacity, then Nigerians equally deserve answers regarding its legal foundation, operational mandate, funding structure and oversight mechanisms.
These are not minor administrative discrepancies. They are fundamental questions that go to the heart of public finance management and governmental accountability.
HURIWA is therefore calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and other relevant investigative agencies to launch a comprehensive, transparent and time-bound investigation into all aspects of the controversy.
The investigation must determine:
Whether the PFIPC was lawfully established and under whose authority.
How the council was included in the 2026 national budget.
Whether public funds were appropriated or released to the organisation.
Whether any public officials benefited financially from its operations.
The authenticity of documents, appointments and correspondences associated with the council.
The veracity of allegations relating to the alleged N400 million payment and other financial transactions.
Whether any abuse of office, fraud, forgery, influence peddling or corruption occurred in the course of the council’s activities.
To guarantee public confidence in the process, HURIWA insists that the Chief of Staff should step aside or be suspended for the duration of the investigation.
This demand is neither prejudicial nor political. It is a standard accountability measure designed to protect the integrity of investigations involving senior public officials. No anti-corruption agency can effectively investigate allegations of this magnitude while the principal subject of the probe remains one of the most powerful figures within the Presidency.
The continued retention of the Chief of Staff in office during an investigation of this nature could create the perception of undue influence, compromise public trust and cast doubt on whatever outcome eventually emerges.
Nigeria cannot continue to preach accountability to junior public officers while shielding politically connected officials from scrutiny whenever serious allegations arise.
The President now faces a defining moment. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that the anti-corruption fight is not selective and that no public official is too powerful to answer legitimate questions.
HURIWA recalls that successive administrations have promised transparency, openness and zero tolerance for corruption. Such commitments must be measured not by speeches but by actions taken when politically sensitive allegations emerge.
The silence, contradictions and unanswered questions surrounding the PFIPC controversy have already fuelled public suspicion. Failure to act decisively risks deepening citizens’ distrust in public institutions and weakening confidence in the government’s commitment to accountability.
Nigerians are watching. The international community is watching. Investors are watching.
The President must act swiftly and decisively. The EFCC must investigate without fear or favour. The truth must be established wherever it leads.
No democracy can thrive when serious allegations are ignored. No government can claim moral authority while avoiding scrutiny. And no public official should be considered above the law.
