The self-acclaimed Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has denied allegations that he single-handedly created the disputed agency, claiming several federal ministries, departments and agencies officially recognised and interacted with the council.
Adeyemi, who is in police custody, made the claims through his legal team while demanding the opportunity to testify before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the agency.
His lawyers argued that any report produced without hearing from him would violate his constitutional right to fair hearing.
The defence maintained that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and other institutions processed documents relating to the council during its operations.
The legal team also claimed the EFCC and other government agencies interacted with the council, insisting it was impossible for one individual to secure official recognition across multiple institutions without broader administrative involvement.
According to the lawyers, Adeyemi is being unfairly portrayed as the sole mastermind behind the controversy and is being used as a scapegoat for wider institutional failures.
They called for an expanded investigation involving civil society organisations, legal experts and independent observers to examine the complete paper trail surrounding the council.
The development comes as the House of Representatives continues its investigation into the controversial agency.
Earlier during the probe, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Didi Walson-Jack admitted that her office failed to conduct adequate due diligence before approving recruitment requests linked to the council.
The committee is expected to continue hearing from government agencies as lawmakers seek to determine how the disputed body was established and operated.
