Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has rejected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal, insisting that only an independent commission of inquiry can restore public confidence in the matter.
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to assign the investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Instead, Atiku called for the immediate establishment of an independent commission of inquiry, arguing that only a transparent and impartial investigation can uncover the full circumstances surrounding the controversial agency.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the Federal Government cannot credibly investigate a matter in which its own institutions and officials are subjects of public scrutiny.
He maintained that President Tinubu’s directive to the ICPC amounted to an admission that previous investigations by the Nigeria Police were either incomplete or insufficient to answer the questions Nigerians continue to raise about the PFIPC controversy.
According to Atiku, what Nigerians demanded was not another internal government investigation but an independent inquiry capable of examining every aspect of the alleged scandal without executive influence.
The PFIPC controversy emerged after the Presidency declared that the council was not a recognised government agency despite reports that it allegedly operated within official institutions and appeared in government processes.
Last week, Atiku issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding an independent investigation into the matter. Following the expiration of that deadline, President Tinubu directed the ICPC to conduct a 30-day investigation into the alleged activities of the PFIPC and those connected with it.
However, Atiku argued that the latest directive raises fresh questions because the Presidency had earlier maintained that the matter had already been investigated by the Nigeria Police.
He also questioned reports surrounding the timeline of arrests and investigations, saying the latest developments appeared inconsistent with earlier official explanations.
Atiku proposed the establishment of a Special Independent Commission of Inquiry comprising eminent Nigerians nominated by the Federal Government, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), retired judicial officers and other respected stakeholders.
According to him, only such a body would possess the credibility and independence required to determine how the alleged agency operated and whether any public institutions or officials played a role in the controversy.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has maintained that the ICPC investigation will examine the conduct of the principal suspect and any collaborators involved in the alleged operation of the PFIPC.
Atiku’s rejection of the ICPC probe marks the latest political dispute over the PFIPC controversy, which has continued to generate intense public debate. While the Federal Government insists the anti-corruption agency will conduct a thorough investigation, the former vice president maintains that only an independent commission of inquiry can restore public confidence and establish the full facts surrounding one of the country’s most controversial public sector scandals.