OAGF Clarifies PFIPC Account Status
The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has clarified that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) does not operate any account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and no public funds or salaries have been paid to the organisation. This was stated by the Director of Public Relations at the OAGF, Bawa Mokwa, amid controversy over the legitimacy of the PFIPC as a Nigerian government entity.
Background of the Controversy
On 11 June, the Chief of Staff to the Nigerian President, Femi Gbajabiamila, issued a disclaimer describing the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) as fictitious entities. He stated that his office had not appointed anyone to lead them and that the convener, Adeniyi Adeyemi, is an impostor facing criminal prosecution. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga alleged on 1 July that Adeyemi used forged documents to fraudulently open a CBN account by deceiving the OAGF.
According to Onanuga, “The Police found that Adeyemi, using the fake documents he created, fraudulently opened a CBN account by misleading the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. According to the police, no government money has been transferred into the account.”
On 2 July, Adeyemi countered the Chief of Staff’s disclaimer, alleging that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million through a proxy to facilitate his appointment.
OAGF Response
Responding to Onanuga’s statement, Mokwa explained that the process of opening a CBN account for the PFIPC was never completed because the required documentation to activate the account was not submitted. “You cannot open an account at the CBN without authorisation from the Accountant-General. The Accountant-General will authorise them to open an account at the CBN,” Mokwa said.
However, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the OAGF wrote to the CBN on 29 July 2025, directing it to open four domiciliary accounts for the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the PFIPC. On 13 August 2025, the CBN informed the OAGF that it had opened dollar- and pound-denominated accounts for the PFIPC.
Account Not Operational
Mokwa stated that Adeyemi approached the OAGF with an appointment letter, but the document concerned an already existing agency rather than the PFIPC. The account-opening process began based on that document, but the account never became operational because the names of the officials expected to serve as account signatories were not submitted. He insisted there was no channel through which the OAGF could release government funds to the agency because it did not have an operational account.
“The account, till today, has not seen the light of day. It has not seen one kobo because the account is not completely operational. That portrays that he has not collected a dime. The AGF has not released a dime to him because they don’t even have a place where the money can be paid,” Mokwa said.
No Budgetary Allocation or Staff Recruitment
Media reports indicated that the Federal Government granted the PFIPC a waiver in August 2025 to recruit 300 staff members. But Mokwa maintained that the agency had not received any budgetary allocation, adding that funding for the council was expected to be included in the 2026 budget and had not yet reached the stage where government funds could be released.
He also dismissed reports that salaries had been paid to agency workers, saying it had not recruited any staff through the procedures required for federal establishments. “Based on our knowledge, he has not employed anybody,” he said.
Recruitment Requirements
Mokwa explained that before any federal agency can recruit workers and place them on the government payroll, it must first obtain approvals from the Federal Character Commission (FCC), the Budget Office, and the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC). After approvals are granted, employee names can be submitted to the OAGF for enrolment on the federal payroll and payment of salaries.
“If they give you a waiver for 200 people, you take the waiver to these agencies and then present the papers to the Accountant-General. He cannot capture even one name without those approvals because once they are captured, payment will come from the budget,” Mokwa explained. He added that none of those requirements had been completed.
