The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s decision to hand the investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), insisting that only an independent judicial panel can produce a credible outcome.
The opposition party made its position known on Wednsday, 8 July, arguing that the Presidency cannot supervise an inquiry into a scandal in which it has become a central subject. The party said the issue has become important because it touches the credibility of public institutions and public confidence in government.
The demand follows President Tinubu’s directive for the ICPC to investigate the controversy surrounding the PFIPC. The case centres on claims linked to appointment letters and other official documents that Mr Adeyemi Adeniyi said were issued to him.
While the Presidency has maintained that the documents were forged, the ADC argued that this is one of the questions an investigation should answer rather than an issue to be settled before investigators begin their work.
The opposition party said it had earlier called for an independent inquiry and identified institutions that should be examined. It argued that the President’s decision to order an investigation shows that the matter deserves careful examination, contrary to earlier attempts by the Presidency to dismiss it.
The ADC, however, insisted that assigning the task to the ICPC creates the impression that the Executive is investigating itself. It argued that public confidence would be stronger if the inquiry was handled by an independent judicial panel made up of respected Nigerians who have no direct connection with the government.
The party also faulted the wording of the Presidency’s announcement, saying it appeared to have accepted that the disputed documents were forged before investigators had examined the evidence. It maintained that investigators should be free to determine whether the documents were genuine, fraudulently obtained, improperly issued or lawfully issued through the Presidency.
The party said allowing investigators to reach their own conclusions without official influence is necessary if Nigerians are to trust the final outcome.
The ADC also called for every office linked to the case to face the same level of examination. It specifically asked whether the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President would be investigated if evidence points in that direction.
The party argued that the Chief of Staff should proceed on leave while the inquiry is underway. It said keeping such an official in office could create public doubt about the independence of the investigation and whether anyone connected with the Presidency could influence its outcome.
Another issue raised by the ADC is public access to the investigation report. The party said Nigerians should not depend on a summary or selective findings released by the government. Instead, it urged the President to publish the full, unedited report after the inquiry is completed and to implement every recommendation without favour.
The party also criticised what it described as the reported arrest of Mr Adeyemi Adeniyi’s father. It argued that criminal investigations should focus only on people directly suspected of wrongdoing and not their relatives.
The ADC said Nigerian law does not recognise vicarious criminal liability in such circumstances. It questioned why family members would be arrested while public office holders connected to the matter continue to perform their official duties.
The party warned that such actions could weaken public trust in the investigation. It maintained that fairness requires investigators to treat every individual and institution by the same legal standard.
The ADC said it would continue to monitor the investigation closely because the PFIPC controversy goes beyond one individual. It argued that the case could expose weaknesses within public institutions or reveal wrongdoing by people entrusted with public office.
The party urged the government to ensure that the investigation follows the evidence wherever it leads and produces answers that Nigerians and the international community can accept as credible. It maintained that only an inquiry independent of the Executive can achieve that objective and restore confidence in the process.