ABUJA – Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has intensified calls for an independent investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), questioning the inclusion of ₦6.44 billion in the 2026 budget for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers after the country had already crashed out of the race.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the arrest of the self-acclaimed Director-General of the PFIPC, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, was not enough to unravel the controversy.
He insisted that investigators must determine how an organisation reportedly described by the Presidency as non-existent allegedly operated within government circles, secured office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat, recruited personnel, obtained diplomatic recognition and allegedly found its way into the national budget.
“The scandal is not merely that one man allegedly impersonated public authority. The bigger question is how such an organisation allegedly gained access to government institutions and operated with apparent official recognition,” Atiku said.
The former Vice President also questioned the ₦6.44 billion budgetary allocation for a “Special Presidential Support Group for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers,” describing it as suspicious since Nigeria had already been eliminated from the qualification race before the 2026 Appropriation Bill was presented.
“How does a government budget ₦6.44 billion for World Cup qualifiers after Nigeria had already been eliminated? Who inserted the provision, who approved it and what was the intended purpose of the allocation?” he asked.
According to Atiku, the controversial allocation raises serious questions about transparency, fiscal responsibility and the integrity of the country’s budgeting process.
He also referred to allegations made by Adeyemi, including claims that about ₦400 million was allegedly paid to secure his appointment and that senior government officials were mentioned in the matter.
While stressing that the allegations remain unproven, Atiku said they deserve a transparent, independent and impartial investigation.
He expressed reservations over the Federal Government’s decision to allow the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter, arguing that an inquiry conducted by agencies under the executive may not inspire public confidence.
The former Vice President urged the National Assembly to set up a bipartisan investigative panel to probe every aspect of the PFIPC controversy.
He also appealed to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders to support an open and credible investigation.
“Nigerians deserve to know who authorised the PFIPC, how it allegedly gained access to government institutions, who facilitated its operations and whether public funds were allocated to it. The country deserves a credible investigation that establishes the facts and strengthens public confidence in governance,” Atiku stated.
