The House of Representatives has intensified its investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) accused of failing to cooperate with the ongoing probe.
The investigation was launched following allegations that the council operated as a government agency despite questions surrounding its legal status and establishment. Lawmakers are seeking to determine how the body appeared in official government records and whether any public institutions supported its operations.
As part of the inquiry, the House Ad-hoc Committee summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, insisting on her personal appearance despite the ministry sending a representative to the hearing.
The investigation also took another turn after Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, withdrew from representing the alleged Director-General of the council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, warned that agencies ignoring invitations from the National Assembly were undermining the constitutional oversight powers of the legislature.
He stressed that invitations issued by the House are legally binding under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution and directed all defaulting agencies to appear before the committee on Thursday with the requested officials and relevant documents.
According to Gagdi, the hearing represents the final opportunity for the affected agencies to comply voluntarily, warning that the committee would invoke all constitutional and legal powers available to compel attendance if necessary.
He emphasized that the investigation is intended to establish the facts surrounding the PFIPC and ensure that no government institution operates outside the provisions of the law.
The committee also reaffirmed its commitment to conducting the investigation fairly and professionally while ensuring accountability within public institutions.
Previous submissions before the committee indicated that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no official recognition of the council or its alleged Director-General. The ministry also informed lawmakers that the Office of the National Security Adviser reportedly had no record of either the agency or Adeyemi as part of the Federal Government.
Officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria also told lawmakers that bank accounts reportedly linked to the council were opened on the instruction of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation but contained no funds and had not recorded any financial transactions.
The committee has continued receiving documents and testimonies from several government institutions as it seeks to determine how the council allegedly gained recognition in official government records and whether any public officials facilitated its activities.
Meanwhile, Femi Falana confirmed that he had withdrawn from Adeyemi’s legal team but did not disclose the reason for his decision.
Sources familiar with the matter claimed that Falana had advised Adeyemi against granting media interviews during the ongoing investigations. However, Adeyemi reportedly appeared in a live social media interview and later informed his lawyer that he would not attend a scheduled court appearance, developments that reportedly preceded Falana’s withdrawal.
The PFIPC controversy began after allegations surfaced that the council had no legal foundation despite reportedly appearing in the 2025 Appropriation Act. Adeyemi has denied allegations of forgery, impersonation, and conspiracy linked to the case, which is currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja, while security agencies continue their investigations.
Separately, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to release the full video of its questioning of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the investigation.
Sowore argued that making the complete recording public would promote transparency following the ICPC’s clarification that Gbajabiamila voluntarily honoured an invitation from investigators and was not arrested in connection with the matter.
