Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has given President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to order what he described as a transparent, comprehensive and independent investigation into the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku warned that failure to initiate an independent probe would fuel public suspicion that influential figures within government may have benefited from the alleged fraud.

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress said the controversy had moved beyond allegations of forgery and now raised serious concerns about the integrity of government institutions and oversight mechanisms.

He argued that the Presidency’s explanation that the PFIPC never existed failed to answer key questions about how the purported agency allegedly operated, secured office space within a government facility, interacted with public institutions and foreign diplomatic missions, and reportedly carried out official administrative activities.

According to Atiku, if the alleged activities were indeed carried out by a single individual without the knowledge or involvement of government officials, it would expose serious institutional failures. He maintained that while anyone found culpable should face the law, the focus should also be on identifying officials or systems that may have enabled the alleged operations.

The former vice president further questioned reports that the PFIPC appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a multi-billion naira allocation and that more than 300 personnel were reportedly recruited into the agency with approval from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. He argued that such developments could not reasonably be dismissed as administrative errors.

Atiku also cited claims by the alleged Director-General of the agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, who has denied accusations of forgery and insisted that his appointment was legitimate. He said only an independent investigation could establish the facts, trace relevant approvals and determine whether any public officials were involved.

He warned that the controversy now extends beyond one individual and affects the credibility of Nigeria’s budgeting process, the Federal Civil Service and the Presidency, insisting that a full inquiry was necessary to restore public confidence.

The controversy has intensified in recent days after the Presidency maintained that the PFIPC is not a recognised federal agency and described Adeyemi as an impostor facing trial before the Federal High Court on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation. Adeyemi, however, has continued to reject the allegations, insisting that his appointment was lawful and supported by official documents.