By CHARLES IWUOHA

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has joined other well-meaning Nigerians to demand for answers to the plethora of questions surrounding the establishment and operations of the Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (FIPC), an agency now wrapped in controversy.

In a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, the ADC Chief said the controversy surrounding the alleged Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (FIPC) has become one of the most disturbing governance scandals in recent memory.

Eze, said it has raised serious questions about transparency, accountability, and the integrity of public institutions under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Presidency, through the Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has reportedly disowned the Council, describing it as an unauthorized and non-existent government agency. While that explanation may appear convenient, it raises even more troubling questions than it answers.

“If the Council was indeed not a lawful agency of government, how did it allegedly secure office accommodation within the Federal Secretariat, one of the most secure government facilities in the country? How was it able to reportedly operate openly for years without attracting the attention of the relevant authorities?

“How did its promoter, Prince Adeniyi, allegedly gain access to the highest levels of government, hold meetings with Ministers, Ambassadors, and other senior public officials, and reportedly represent Nigeria at diplomatic engagements? Even more astonishing are reports that he was received by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and honoured with an award.

“If these reports are true, then this scandal goes far beyond the activities of one individual. It points to a deeply rooted network of insiders who allegedly provided official recognition, access, protection, and legitimacy to an entity the Presidency now claims never existed.

“More disturbing are reports that the Council allegedly opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria and was allocated public funds under the 2026 Appropriation Act. If an organization now described as “fake” could allegedly find its way into the national budget and benefit from public resources, then Nigerians are entitled to ask: Who approved the budgetary allocation? Who processed the documentation? Who authorized the releases? Who looked the other way?

Nothing that no sensible Nigerian will believe that one man accomplished all these without the active collaboration of powerful individuals within government.

“Such an operation, if established, could only have been possible through the connivance of officials across several ministries, departments, agencies, and institutions.

“This is why the Tinubu administration cannot simply wash its hands off this matter by pointing accusing fingers at Prince Adeniyi alone. If indeed a fraud of this magnitude occurred, then those who allegedly aided, facilitated, endorsed, or protected the operation must equally be identified and brought to justice.

“This episode exposes what many Nigerians have long feared—that institutional safeguards have become dangerously weak and that accountability is steadily being eroded. It reinforces growing public concern that government systems have become vulnerable to manipulation by well-connected individuals operating under official protection.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu owes Nigerians more than a denial. He owes them the truth.

Eze called for an immediate, independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into every aspect of the scandal.

According to him, “The investigation must establish the legal status of the alleged Council, determine whether public funds were appropriated or released to it, identify every public official who facilitated its operations, recover any public funds unlawfully obtained, and ensure that all those found culpable—regardless of office or political affiliation—are prosecuted in accordance with the law.

“Anything less would amount to a cover-up and would further erode public confidence in government institutions.”

Eze maintained that if Tinubu is not running a corruption-infested administration, his CoS Femi Gbajabiamila ought to have been arrested and sacked by now.

He stated that Nigerians deserves a government where public institutions are respected, where due process is upheld, and where no individual or group can exploit the machinery of government with impunity.

“The truth must prevail. Every Nigerian involved, no matter how highly placed, must be held accountable if the allegations are substantiated. That is the only path to restoring confidence in governance and preserving the integrity of our public institutions,” Eze said.

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