Adeyemi Denies Sole Responsibility for PFIPC, Seeks Fair Hearing Before Reps Committee
Oru Leonard
Abuja- The alleged Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has denied allegations that he single-handedly created the disputed agency, insisting that several federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) processed documents and officially interacted with the council.
Adeyemi, who is currently in police custody, made the claims through a statement issued on Sunday by his legal team, led by Festus Akhigbe.
The defence team also urged the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the establishment and operations of the PFIPC to allow Adeyemi appear before it to present his own account, arguing that denying him the opportunity would violate his constitutional right to a fair hearing.
The committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the creation and activities of the council.
According to the lawyers, any report produced without hearing directly from Adeyemi would be incomplete and contrary to the principle of audi alteram partem—the legal doctrine requiring that both sides be heard.
“We formally request that the panel issue the necessary administrative clearance to allow our client… to appear in person and testify,” the statement said, adding that any investigative outcome reached without his testimony would amount to a breach of his constitutional rights.
Adeyemi’s legal team argued that the PFIPC was not a one-man initiative, claiming that multiple government institutions processed official documents or engaged with the council in various capacities.
According to the statement, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation facilitated documentation linked to the council and the allocation of office space within the Federal Secretariat.
The lawyers further alleged that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria processed documentation relating to budget codes, self-accounting status, staff postings and operational bank accounts.
They also claimed that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation approved the council’s organisational structure and recruitment waivers, enabling the engagement of 314 personnel.
The statement further alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allocated property to the organisation, requested processing fees and presented a recognition plaque to its leadership.
Calls for Broader Investigation
The defence argued that the alleged involvement of several government institutions made it unreasonable to attribute sole responsibility to Adeyemi.
Questioning the ongoing investigation, the lawyers contended that if multiple federal agencies had processed,
approved or interacted with the council over time, the matter should not be treated as the actions of a single individual.
They also alleged that Adeyemi was being made a scapegoat to conceal broader administrative failures and called for a comprehensive investigation involving all ministries, departments and agencies linked to the council’s activities.
The legal team further advocated the inclusion of civil society organisations, legal practitioners and independent observers in any expanded investigation to examine the complete administrative process surrounding the establishment and operations of the PFIPC.
The House of Representatives ad hoc committee is expected to continue its investigation as authorities examine the legality of the council’s establishment and the roles played by the various institutions mentioned by the defence.
