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Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, on Monday confirmed that representatives of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC) participated in the 2026 budget process and also obtained approval for 314 positions.

Mrs. Walson-Jack disclosed this in Abuja after the inauguration of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the circumstances surrounding the existence and operations of the Council, chaired by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi.

While noting that the approval and establishment of agencies are not within the purview of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), she admitted that the Council submitted a request to the OHCSF on August 6, 2025, seeking approval of its organisational structure without providing the requisite documents.

According to her, the request, which was initially declined due to the non-submission of the relevant documents, was eventually approved for a total workforce of 314 positions, comprising 14 existing officers engaged by the Council and 300 additional positions.

She maintained that records of the Organisation Design and Development (ODD) Department further confirmed that the authorised establishment was collected on behalf of the Council by a gentleman representing the PEAC/PFIPC.

Mrs. Walson-Jack disclosed that the system was down during the controversial period when the Council was being registered. She added that representatives of the Council participated in the 2025 Annual Manpower Budget Defence Exercise, led by a woman who identified herself as the Deputy Director of Administration, and appeared before officers of the Organisation Design and Development Department during the organisation’s bilateral manpower defence.

She, however, stressed that she only discovered the Council’s existence after reviewing all the available documents relating to it, following the public exposure of the incident.

According to her, following the bilateral engagements with the Council’s representatives during the 2025 Annual Manpower Budget Defence Exercise, the request was reviewed by officers of the ODD. In line with the office’s established administrative procedure, the fourth batch, comprising 88 ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies, including the agency in question, was approved on July 18, 2025, by the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, who was overseeing the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation at the time.

She, however, maintained that:

“There was no deployment of officers by the OHCSF to the Council because recruitment and placement of staff in agencies…”

Mrs. Walson-Jack added that the remuneration and emoluments of personnel fall under the purview of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, while the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is responsible for the remuneration of political appointees and chief executive officers.

She also categorically noted that the office occupied by the Council in Phase III of the Federal Secretariat is part of the office space allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation through a letter dated November 16, 2023.

Mrs. Walson-Jack added that all matters relating to the establishment, administration, supervision and operational oversight of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council fall within the jurisdiction of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, as well as other relevant government institutions.

According to her, Mrs. Patricia Akhigbe, under whose supervision the Council obtained the approval, has been released to the Nigeria Police for questioning, alongside Jacob Oluwafemi David.

In his presentation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Yemi Cardoso, represented by the Director of Banking Services, Mr. Hamisu Abdullahi, disclosed that the apex bank opene’ two accounts for the fake Council—a Dollar (domiciliary) account and a Pound Sterling ac’ount. He, however, noted ’hat both accounts have remained inactive since their inception.

According to him, the mandate to open the accounts was received on July 30, 2025, from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation through a letter dated July 29, 2025, after which the normal verification process was carried out. He, however, noted that the apex bank did not receive any further response, adding that there had been no inflow or outflow in either account since they were opened.

On his part, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Musa Aliyu, disclosed that the Commission has commenced “investigation and collecting documents as well as interacting with officials that we feel are necessary in order to help us unravel this issue.”

To this end, he urged the Ad-hoc Committee to give the Commission “a time, maybe between today, tomorrow, and next tomorrow, so that we can come back and inform the House how far, what we did, so at least the House will be aware.”

Declaring the investigative hearing open, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, reaffirmed the House’s unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability and citizen participation.

The Speaker, represented by the Majority Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, acknowledged that discussions surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council have dominated media reports, public commentary and policy debates regarding its legal status, institutional mandate, operational framework, relationship with existing agencies, and, importantly, its appearance in the Federal Budget Framework despite widespread uncertainty over its establishment.

“These questions deserve clear, factual and authoritative answers. The House of Representatives has therefore not constituted this Committee to validate speculation or amplify controversy. Neither is this a political exercise. Our objective is simply to establish the facts,” he said.

While noting that the investigation is not about any individual but about the integrity of public administration, he urged the Ad-hoc Committee to conduct its proceedings fairly and, as much as possible, protect the rights of every witness.

“Give every interested party an opportunity to be heard. Follow the evidence wherever it leads. Let your conclusions be guided neither by public pressure nor political convenience, but by facts, the Constitution, and the law.

“The credibility of parliamentary oversight rests not on the conclusions it reaches, but on the integrity of the process by which those conclusions are reached. As the People’s House, we are committed to ensuring that every institution entrusted with public authority is subject to public accountability.”

To this end, the Ad-hoc Committee resolved to invite the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); the Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning; the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation; the Accountant-General of the Federation; the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation; the Inspector-General of Police (IGP); the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission; the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC); and the Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), among others.

The Investigative hearing is expected to continue on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. with the appearance of the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation. The committee also directed the Inspector-General of Police to ensure the appearance of the two OHCSF staff members to provide insight into their roles in the scandal. (Nigerian Tribune)