ICPC Names Four Officials Allegedly Linked to Fake Presidential Council
Reported By Facthabournews
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has identified four government officials allegedly involved in helping the now-disowned Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) obtain government approvals, administrative recognition and access to public facilities.
The officials named in the commission’s interim investigation are Rose Achem, Patricia Akhigbe, Mimi Abu and Aminu Abdullahi.
The investigation concerns Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC. The Federal Government has maintained that the council was never legally established and that Adeyemi was not appointed by President Bola Tinubu.
Three Officials Linked to Recruitment Approval
The ICPC examined the roles of Achem, Akhigbe and Abu in the process through which the purported council obtained an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver.
Achem is a senior administrative officer to the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, while Akhigbe is an assistant director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. Abu is the Director of Organisation Design and Development at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
Investigators said Achem introduced Akhigbe to Abu as the purported council’s head of human resources, despite Akhigbe being an assistant director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The three officials subsequently facilitated the purported council’s application for authorised establishment and a recruitment waiver through the OHCSF.
ICPC Raises Questions Over ₦500,000 Payment
According to the investigation, Adeyemi paid Akhigbe ₦500,000 during Easter in 2025.
The payment was reportedly described as a “thank you for your support.”
The commission also found that the authorised establishment was granted on the same day the three officials met, despite investigators finding no evidence that the PFIPC had formally submitted an application through the required process.
The ICPC is investigating the circumstances surrounding the approvals and the roles played by the officials.
Forged Documents Allegedly Used
Investigators said documents presented during the process included an appointment letter and establishment instruments that were later found to be forged.
The controversial appointment letter was purportedly issued by the Chief of Staff to the President.
Abu reportedly described the document as an “aberration” and told investigators that she could not recall another government organisation presenting an appointment letter signed by the Chief of Staff.
The ICPC had earlier established that another letter allegedly signed by an official named Akanbi Adewale was fraudulent, with investigators finding that the named official did not exist and that the document had actually been signed by Adeyemi.
Fourth Official Linked to Office Allocation
The fourth official identified by the ICPC is Aminu Abdullahi, who was responsible for coordinating office allocations within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
According to the investigation, Abdullahi was introduced to Adeyemi in March 2025 by Ibrahim Abdulkadir, a deputy director in the General Services Department.
Investigators said Abdullahi subsequently allocated offices previously occupied by former Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Doyin Salami, at the Federal Secretariat Phase III for temporary use by the purported council.
The allocation was allegedly made without written approval.
₦3.25m Allegedly Paid to Office Allocation Official
The ICPC also examined Abdullahi’s financial records.
According to the investigation, his bank statement showed that he received a total of ₦3.25 million from Adeyemi in three separate transactions between March and November 2025.
The commission is examining the circumstances surrounding those payments and their connection, if any, to the allocation of government office space.
How the Fake Council Penetrated Government Systems
The investigation has revealed how the purported PFIPC allegedly moved through several layers of government administration despite lacking a valid legal foundation.
Adeyemi reportedly began seeking formal recognition in November 2024, approaching the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for an administrative code, self-accounting status and approval to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The organisation subsequently obtained an administrative code and was included in the 2026 federal budget, while government financial systems were created for it.
The ICPC’s investigation is examining how these processes were approved despite questions surrounding the council’s legal status.
Presidency Had Ordered Investigation
President Tinubu ordered the ICPC to investigate the PFIPC in July after the purported organisation came under scrutiny.
The State House said the council had never been established by law, executive order, presidential approval or any other lawful government instrument.
The President directed the commission to investigate the alleged forged appointment letters and government documents, claims of presidential appointment and the opening of bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies.
The ICPC subsequently recommended action against Adeyemi over alleged forgery and impersonation, while continuing to examine how government officials and institutions processed the purported council’s requests.
Investigation Continues
The identification of the four officials has widened attention from Adeyemi’s alleged activities to possible weaknesses within government administrative systems.
The investigation raises questions about how an organisation that allegedly had no legal basis was able to obtain administrative approvals, secure office accommodation and gain access to government systems.
However, being named in an investigation does not amount to a criminal conviction. The allegations against the officials remain subject to further investigation and any legal proceedings that may follow.
The ICPC is expected to establish the full extent of each person’s involvement and determine whether any criminal or administrative offences were committed.
The case has also renewed calls for stronger verification procedures across government institutions to prevent unauthorised organisations from obtaining official recognition or accessing public resources.
This report is based on the ICPC’s interim investigation findings and reports by Nigerian media outlets. Allegations against the named officials remain allegations and should not be treated as established guilt unless proven before a competent court.
