PFIPC Scandal: Adeyemi Has Too Much Authentic Documentation — Bakare

Frontline activist, Bola Bakare, has expressed concern over the growing controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC, saying the self-acclaimed Director-General of the organisation, Adeniyi Adeyemi, appeared to possess an unusually large number of authentic government documents.

Bakare made the remarks during an interview on Arise News while reacting to the ongoing investigation into the activities of the controversial body, which the Presidency has described as fictitious.

According to him, the controversy has exposed long-standing institutional weaknesses that have allowed questionable agencies to emerge within the public sector.

“I’m happy this is happening so that we can put a stop to it,” Bakare said.

He noted that while Nigeria has about 40 ministries, there are hundreds of agencies whose activities are not widely known to the public, creating opportunities for abuse.

Bakare argued that if Adeyemi had operated quietly, the alleged PFIPC could have blended into the numerous government agencies without attracting public attention.

“If Adeyemi had been quiet, this would have joined the hundreds of those agencies, and then we would be worse for it,” he said.

He stressed that the proliferation of little-known agencies has negatively affected governance and Nigeria’s ease of doing business.

Bakare said the documentation allegedly in Adeyemi’s possession raised serious questions about how official government records were obtained.

“The kind of operation this Adeyemi has, I’m not holding brief for him, but we are smart enough to know what is really happening. He has too much authentic documentation,” he stated.

He alleged that documents linked to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service suggested wider institutional lapses that deserved thorough investigation.

Bakare called on the Federal Government and all relevant agencies to use the controversy as an opportunity to address systemic failures within public institutions.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged PFIPC and submit its findings within 30 days.

The directive, announced by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also mandates the anti-graft agency to examine the activities of all individuals connected to the alleged organisation.