The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIFC) on Thursday grilled the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) over how it issued official Federal Government vehicle number plates to an organisation now suspected to be fictitious. The hearing, chaired by Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, focused on documents submitted by the council's alleged promoter, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, which included a mandate naming President Bola Tinubu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and Finance Minister Gboyega Oyetola as members of the council's governing board.
Lawmaker Questions FRSC's Verification Process
Gagdi asked FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Shehu Mohammed directly whether that mandate was part of the application submitted to the corps. Mohammed confirmed that it was. The committee chairman told Mohammed that the contents of the document alone should have set off alarm bells within the corps. He argued that an organisation claiming a sitting president and active cabinet ministers on its board ought to have prompted the FRSC to verify those claims with the Presidency and other relevant government authorities before any plates were issued. Gagdi maintained that a more thorough review of the documents would likely have exposed the alleged fraud at an early stage.
FRSC Boss Defends Corps' Conduct
Mohammed, however, defended the corps, telling the committee that the FRSC completed what it considered all necessary verification steps before approving the request. He said that once the controversy surrounding the council surfaced about three weeks ago, he directed the Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of Motor Vehicle Administration to check whether the organisation had indeed been issued government plates. The findings confirmed that the plates had been allocated. The Corps Marshal maintained that the corps acted within its standard operating procedures throughout the process, though he did not address why the mention of the President and sitting ministers on the board of an applicant organisation did not trigger additional scrutiny at the time of the application.
Broader Investigation into PFIFC
The committee's questioning of the FRSC forms part of a broader investigation into how the PFIFC, which is alleged to have misrepresented its status and membership, managed to obtain official recognition and government resources. The investigation has already led to the arrest of the alleged promoter, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, and the uncovering of two more fake agencies linked to the PFIFC. The House has vowed to get to the bottom of the matter and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Wike Explains How Governor Fubara Got It Wrong
In a related development, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike spoke at a special media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, August 1, about his fallout with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers. Wike said Fubara began listening to people who wanted him to fail and who advised him to start a fight with the minister. The minister denied rumours that he asked Fubara for money, saying such claims do not hold water given his position.
