Reps panel declares PFIPC DG’s appointment letter forged

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee probing the activities of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has declared the appointment letter presented by the council’s self-proclaimed Director-General, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, to be forged.

The committee reached the conclusion on Wednesday during the continuation of its investigative hearing in Abuja after receiving submissions from the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack.

Committee Chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, said investigations showed that both the appointment letter and the legal documents relied upon by Adeniyi to justify the existence of the council were not authentic.

According to him, multiple government agencies confirmed that the purported appointment letter was fake, while the legislation presented to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to validate the council’s existence was also forged.

Walson-Jack appeared before the panel for the second time to conclude her testimony in compliance with the committee’s summons.

Senior police officers, including Deputy Commissioner of Police Olufemi Akinola and Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi, also attended the hearing on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police.

Adeniyi, who was earlier directed by the committee to appear before lawmakers, was absent from the session.

The committee had earlier ordered the Inspector-General of Police to produce the suspect within 48 hours after describing the establishment and operations of the purported PFIPC as a serious breach of due process.

Lawmakers said Adeniyi’s appearance remains necessary to explain how the alleged council secured official recognition and processed government correspondence as investigations into the matter continue.