Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission of concealing the identities of public officials allegedly involved in the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the ICPC’s interim report was not an exoneration of the Presidency but an indictment that exposed alleged negligence and connivance within government institutions.
According to him, the report indicated that an individual allegedly forged a presidential appointment letter, established the fictitious PFIPC, created additional fake government agencies, occupied government offices, and opened bank accounts using forged documents.
Atiku questioned how the alleged fraud could have been carried out without the involvement of government officials, arguing that the report’s findings undermine claims that the incident was the work of a lone impostor.
He called on the ICPC to identify and prosecute any public officers found to have facilitated the operation, insisting that Nigerians deserve to know who authorised access to government facilities and processes.
The former vice president also renewed his call for an independent panel of inquiry and urged the National Assembly to conduct a live, public hearing into the matter, noting that the alleged mastermind, Mr. Adeyemi, has expressed readiness to testify under oath.
Atiku further demanded the release of the full ICPC report, maintaining that transparency is essential to restoring public confidence and determining whether officials within the Presidency played any role in the alleged fraud.
The ICPC has yet to issue a response to Atiku’s latest allegations.
