The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) don take another turn as the House of Representatives don tighten investigation into the agency and give Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) 48 hours ultimatum to cooperate or face serious consequences.
Lawmakers dey investigate how the controversial council allegedly operate like a government agency despite questions about whether the organisation legally exist.
Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee handling the probe, Yusuf Gagdi, accuse some government agencies of frustrating the investigation by refusing to honour invitations and submit requested documents.
According to am, any MDA wey continue to ignore the committee go face the full powers of the National Assembly.
“House committee invitations no be by choice. Na constitutional order and everybody must obey am,” Gagdi warn.
The committee order all defaulting MDAs make dem appear before lawmakers on Thursday with all relevant officials and documents.
Gagdi describe the refusal of some agencies to cooperate as a direct insult to the constitutional powers of the National Assembly.
As the investigation continue, lawmakers insist say Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, must personally appear before the committee even though her ministry send representative to attend the hearing.
Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tell lawmakers say dem no recognise the PFIPC and no get any official relationship with the alleged Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
The ministry also reveal say the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) inform dem say both Adeyemi and the council no dey known to the Federal Government.
During the hearing, officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) tell lawmakers say accounts linked to the agency were opened based on instructions from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
However, dem explain say the accounts get zero balance and no transaction ever happen through them.
The committee dey investigate whether any public money pass through the controversial agency and how the organisation allegedly enter official government records.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN), don withdraw from representing Adeyemi.
Falana confirm the development but no explain why e leave the case.
Sources close to the matter claim say Falana advise Adeyemi to avoid media interviews while investigations and court proceedings dey ongoing.
The source further allege say Falana finally pull out after Adeyemi reportedly tell am say e no go appear in court on the scheduled arraignment date.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore don also enter the matter, calling on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to release the full video of its questioning of President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Sowore argue say Nigerians deserve to see the complete interrogation if the anti-corruption agency truly question the Chief of Staff over the PFIPC controversy.
The ICPC had earlier denied reports that Gbajabiamila was arrested, insisting say he only honour invitation from investigators and later leave after making his statement.
The House committee say its investigation no be to witch-hunt anybody but to uncover the truth and ensure no organisation operates outside Nigerian law.
