The State House has denied having any link to the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), telling the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the matter that it never requested a budget code for the body and was unaware of its existence until media reports brought it to public attention.
The clarification was made on Thursday during the committee’s ongoing investigation into the alleged activities of the council, which has come under scrutiny over claims that it operated while presenting itself as a government-backed organisation.
Representing the State House, officials informed lawmakers that no request was made to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) for the issuance of a budget code to the PFIPC. They maintained that the Presidency neither established nor authorised the council to carry out any official function on its behalf.
The lawmakers are investigating how the agency allegedly secured official government documents, approvals and recognition despite questions surrounding its legal status.
Meanwhile, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, defended the agency’s issuance of seven official Federal Government number plates.
Mohammed told the committee that the FRSC acted in line with its established procedures after receiving documents and representations that appeared authentic at the time. He explained that the approvals were granted based on the information submitted to the Corps and that there was no immediate indication that the documents were fraudulent.
The committee is expected to continue its investigation to determine how the agency obtained official government recognition and whether any public officials or institutions played a role in facilitating its operations.
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