President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the move, calling for an independent judicial panel instead. The opposition party argues that the ICPC, being an agency under the Executive, lacks the independence needed to probe a scandal implicating the Presidency. ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi stated that only an independent panel can provide answers beyond reasonable doubt. He noted that the President has now accepted the need for an investigation, a position the ADC had earlier urged. However, the party warned that placing the probe under the ICPC creates the impression of a self-investigation. The ADC stressed that the probe must determine whether the appointment letters linked to the PFIPC were forged, improperly issued, fraudulently obtained, or lawfully issued under presidential authority. The Presidency's early assertion that the documents were forged, before any investigation, risks biasing the process, the party added. ADC also questioned whether public officials connected to the Presidency, including the Office of the Chief of Staff, would face full scrutiny. It urged the President to direct the Chief of Staff to proceed on leave during the probe to avoid the appearance of shielding a key figure. The party demanded that the final report be made public in full, warning that submitting it solely to the President would not satisfy Nigerians' right to transparency.
The ADC criticises Tinubu for assigning the ICPC, an executive agency, to investigate a scandal involving his own office while already asserting the documents are forged. This positions the Presidency as both accused and investigator, undermining public trust in the outcome. If the Chief of Staff remains in office during the probe, it strengthens the perception of protection for top aides. Releasing the report only to the President, rather than the public, would make transparency a claim rather than a reality.
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