Senate Set To Address ₦1.3 Billion PFIPC Controversy Tomorrow

Investigations revealed that a forged appointment letter, allegedly bearing the signature of the President’s Chief of Staff, facilitated the operations of an individual identified as Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, who reportedly secured office space at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja and ran the council for over a year under the guise of official government approval.

Multiple sources within the Presidency and civil service, who spoke anonymously, blamed lapses across key institutions, including the Budget Office, the House of Representatives, and the civil service structure, for failing to detect the alleged forgery earlier. Officials argued that proper verification of the appointment document could have prevented the escalation of the issue.

According to National Assembly sources, the ₦1.3 billion allocation was inserted through what they described as a backdoor process, without the required budget defence before the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service. Lawmakers are now expected to revisit the matter to address rising concerns over possible institutional complicity and oversight failures.

Presidency officials, however, insist the controversy stems from a falsified appointment letter, noting that appointments at that level are constitutionally made by the President and formally issued through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. They maintained that the Chief of Staff does not possess such appointing authority, describing the document as invalid.

A senior civil servant involved in the investigation alleged that the suspect exploited weaknesses in administrative verification processes to gain recognition and access official facilities, including office space at the Federal Secretariat, which reportedly enhanced the credibility of the operation.

Further reports indicate that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) first raised concerns after noticing overlap between PFIPC’s activities and its mandate. The issue was subsequently escalated, leading to security investigations and the eventual arrest and arraignment of the suspect, although questions remain over the pace of prosecution.

Civil society organisations, including SERAP and the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), have demanded full disclosure of documents relating to the budget allocation, insisting that Nigerians deserve transparency over how the funds were approved and processed. SERAP has also threatened legal action if relevant records are not released within days.

Opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have described the scandal as part of a broader governance concern, calling for an independent investigation into how a non-existent or disputed agency could receive such a substantial allocation in the national budget.

Meanwhile, lawmakers and legal experts remain divided, with some calling for broader investigations beyond the principal suspect, while others urge caution and respect for ongoing judicial proceedings. The case is scheduled for further hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 27, 2026, alongside two alleged accomplices still at large.