African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to identify the government officials allegedly linked to the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, insisting that the matter has not been fully explained. Atiku made the demand after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission released an […]
African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to identify the government officials allegedly linked to the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, insisting that the matter has not been fully explained.
Atiku made the demand after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission released an interim report which, according to him, did not amount to a complete clearance of the Presidency over the circumstances surrounding the disputed agency.
In a statement released on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President said the reported findings pointing to negligence and “connivance” had created additional questions that required answers from the government.
He questioned how an alleged impostor could gain entry into government offices, obtain access to official instruments and operate within government circles without the involvement or negligence of public officials.
Atiku said the authorities should explain who gave the individual access to government facilities, who recognised him as the supposed Director-General and who enabled him to function within the government machinery.
The former Vice President argued that the circumstances surrounding the controversy could not simply be reduced to the activities of one alleged fraudster because of the level of access and official resources reportedly involved.
The alleged scheme involving Adeniyi Adeyemi reportedly included the forging of a presidential appointment letter and the establishment of a fictitious Federal Government agency.
According to the account cited by Atiku, the individual also allegedly took over offices and instruments previously associated with the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and opened bank accounts using forged legislative documents.
The controversy further involved the alleged creation of two other fictitious government agencies, adding to questions over how the activities were able to continue within official circles.
Atiku said the reported findings had exposed weaknesses in government processes that could not be ignored, especially if officials were negligent or allegedly acted in connivance with those involved.
He maintained that the government could not acknowledge such failures within its processes while simultaneously suggesting that the State House system was completely free from wrongdoing.
The ADC candidate therefore urged President Tinubu to provide Nigerians with answers on the officials who may have facilitated access to government facilities and enabled the disputed individual to operate within the machinery of government.