[File photo]: Nuhu Ribadu

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the alleged establishment of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC, without legal backing has summoned the National Security Adviser, NSA, and Minister of Foreign Affairs to explain how the council allegedly operated despite concerns over its legitimacy.

The NSA was particularly summoned to explain why his office did not stop the promoter of PFIPC, Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, from progressing with the agency after the Foreign Affairs Ministry exposed it as an illegal entity.

The committee also issued a final ultimatum to some concerned Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to appear before it tomorrow.

The summons followed the submission of a memorandum by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dunoma Umar Ahmed, which stated that the ministry had no official dealings with the council and had, instead, sought clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser after detecting irregularities in its correspondence.

During an appearance before the panel yesterday with a letter dated July 21, 2026, Ahmed disclosed that Prince Adeyemi, who presented himself as Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PEAC/PFIPC, approached the ministry three times seeking its collaboration and endorsement to organise a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

The ministry said the requests were received on June 26, 2025, August 5, 2025, and June 5, 2026, but were not acted upon.“Guided by extant rules and regulations as well as the necessity of carrying out due diligence before obliging any request, the ministry did not take any action on the requests.

“The ministry’s refusal to oblige the requests was further necessitated by some of the discrepancies observed in the letters submitted by Prince Adeyemi and the ongoing investigation on the legitimacy of the PFIPC and the personality of its alleged Director-General,” the letter read.

The ministry further revealed that it wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser on October 16, 2025, seeking clarification on the status of Prince Adeyemi.

According to the ministry, the NSA responded on November 26, 2025, indicating that enquiries made with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President showed that “Prince Mathew Adeyemi is unknown to any office of the Federal Government.”

Ahmed also categorically informed the committee that the ministry had no relationship with the council, adding that “the ministry did not participate in any diplomatic engagement, bilateral and multilateral discussions held by the PFIPC.

Questioning the ministry’s response, a committee member, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, queried why stronger measures were not taken after the ministry received confirmation that the council lacked legal recognition.

“After confirming from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to Mr President that this entity does not exist legally, did you communicate to the so-called Director-General that this organisation is illegal and that you should not interact with it any further?” Fulata queried.

“The ministry has never had any official interaction or engagement with the PFIPC or its alleged Director-General.”

Responding to the concerns, the committee chairman said the ministry had acted appropriately by referring the matter to the National Security Adviser but insisted that the security office must now account for what followed.“The Office of the National Security Adviser should appear before this committee and explain that aspect.”

(Vanguard News)