REPS PANEL DECLARES PFIPC DG’S APPOINTMENT LETTER FAKE, FAULTS DOCUMENTS

The revelation was made on Wednesday during the committee’s investigative hearing in Abuja, where Chairman of the panel, Yusuf Gagdi, said evidence before the lawmakers confirmed that both the appointment letter and the legal documents relied upon by Adeyemi were forged.

Gagdi stated that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who appeared before the committee for the second time, also acknowledged that the documents submitted by Adeyemi were not authentic.

According to him, investigations by relevant government agencies established that the appointment letter was forged, while the Act presented to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to support the council’s existence was equally fake.

Testifying before the committee, Walson-Jack admitted that her office failed to carry out adequate verification before recognising the purported council.

She accepted responsibility for the oversight, explaining that officials acted on documents that appeared genuine because they carried the State House logo and what seemed to be an authentic presidential signature.

However, she said further examination, including forensic analysis by the police and comparisons with genuine State House correspondence, later revealed that the signatures were inconsistent with official records.

The Head of Service assured lawmakers that her office would strengthen its internal verification procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Also appearing before the committee were Deputy Commissioner of Police Olufemi Akinola and Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi, who represented the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu.

Akinola informed the lawmakers that Adeyemi could not honour the committee’s invitation because of an existing court order, adding that he could only appear before the panel if directed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Following the submission, the committee adjourned further proceedings until next week.

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

Lawmakers said his appearance was necessary to explain how the council secured official recognition and processed government correspondence despite questions surrounding its legal status.

The investigation follows allegations made by Adeyemi during a press conference in which he accused the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding 48 per cent of the council’s ₦27.3 billion take-off grant.

He further alleged that the Chief of Staff received ₦400 million through a proxy and later requested an additional ₦200 million to facilitate presidential approvals.

Gbajabiamila has denied all the allegations, insisting he has no personal, professional or official relationship with Adeyemi. He also dismissed claims that he received money, was connected to the death of Babatunde Tanimola, or interfered with investigations involving the matter.

Following the controversy, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegations.

The House subsequently constituted a 12-member ad hoc committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the disputed agency, its inclusion in the 2026 Appropriation Act and the alleged allocation of ₦1.3 billion to the council.

At the hearing, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, told lawmakers that none of the funds appropriated for the agency had been released or spent.

According to him, although the National Assembly approved the allocation, the statutory requirements for the disbursement and utilisation of the funds were never fulfilled.