Reps Give MDAs 48-Hour Ultimatum as PFIPC Probe Deepens

The House of Representatives has intensified its investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), giving Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) a 48-hour deadline to appear before its ad hoc committee or face legal sanctions.

The committee, chaired by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, warned that agencies that failed to honour previous invitations had until Thursday to appear with all requested officials and documents. He described their absence as a direct challenge to the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly.

Gagdi stressed that invitations issued by the House are backed by Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and are therefore legally binding.

“Invitations issued by a duly constituted Committee of the House of Representatives are not matters of discretion. Compliance is a legal obligation, not an act of courtesy,” he said.

He added that any ministry, department or agency that failed to comply without lawful justification would face constitutional and statutory sanctions.

The committee maintained that the investigation was not intended to target any individual or institution but to establish the facts surrounding the controversial agency and safeguard the integrity of public administration.

As part of the ongoing probe, lawmakers insisted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, personally appear before the committee despite the ministry sending a representative to Tuesday’s hearing.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told lawmakers that it neither recognised the PFIPC nor had any official dealings with its alleged Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi. The ministry also disclosed that the Office of the National Security Adviser informed it that both the council and Adeyemi were unknown to the Federal Government.

The committee has also received submissions from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Office of the Head of the the Civil Service of the Federation as it investigates how the agency allegedly appeared in official government records despite concerns over its legal status.

CBN officials informed lawmakers that bank accounts reportedly linked to the PFIPC were opened on the directive of the Office of the Accountant-General but contained zero balances and had no record of financial transactions.

Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has withdrawn from representing Adeyemi in the dcriminal case related to the controversy.

Confirming the development, Falana simply said, “I have withdrawn from the Adeyemi case.”

Although he did not disclose the reason, sources familiar with the matter said the decision followed Adeyemi’s continued media appearances despite legal advice and his reported decision not to attend his scheduled arraignment.

In a related development, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore challenged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to release the full, unedited video of its interrogation of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Sowore questioned the commission’s account that Gbajabiamila only honoured an invitation, arguing that the public deserved full transparency.

The ICPC had earlier denied reports that the Chief of Staff was arrested, stating that he voluntarily appeared before investigators, answered questions relating to the PFIPC investigation and left after making his statement.

The House committee is expected to continue its hearings as lawmakers seek to determine whether any public institution or official facilitated the activities of the controversial agency and recommend appropriate legislative or legal action.