Ribadu is to appear before the panel at noon to explain the actions taken by his office after confirming that the PFIPC was not a recognised government institution.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu is also to appear before the committee to provide further clarification on issues arising from the ministry’s submissions on the matter.
The lawmakers’ decision to summon the NSA and the minister followed revelations by the permanent secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, who appeared before the Hon. Yusuf Gagdi-led committee on Tuesday.
Ahmed, who represented the minister, said the ministry had never had any official dealings with the council or its alleged director-general, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, whose identity had been confirmed by security authorities as unknown to the federal government.
The permanent secretary stated that the ministry had written to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on 16 October 2025, requesting clarification on the status of Prince Adeyemi as director-general of the PFIPC.
He informed the committee that the Office of the National Security Adviser replied on 26 November 2025, conveying that enquiries made with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President established that Adeyemi was unknown to any office of the federal government.
Ahmed said this came after the ministry declined all three requests from the so-called Council following due diligence, citing inconsistencies and discrepancies in correspondence submitted by the self-acclaimed director-general, as well as concerns over the legitimacy of both the Council and its purported leadership.
In his response to the disclosure, the committee’s chairman, Gagdi, expressed concern over the revelation that the Office of the National Security Adviser had, as far back as November 2025, established that the federal government did not recognise the alleged director-general and the purported council.
He questioned the steps taken by the nation’s security architecture following the discovery, stressing that the committee was duty-bound to ascertain whether appropriate action had been taken to curtail the organisation’s activities.
Gagdi said the invitations extended to Ribadu and Odumegwu-Ojukwu were necessary because the committee needed to determine what actions the Office of the National Security Adviser took after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised concerns about the organisation’s authenticity.
'It is now the duty of the Committee to move further and invite the Office of the National Security Adviser to come and answer the very important question raised by Hon Abubakar Fulata that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a letter from this agency under investigation, whether it exists or it doesn’t exist.
'What have you done as an office that has the power and capacity to carry out further investigation in respect of this matter? He is to appear before this Committee because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received correspondence from the suspended Director-General, which raised suspicions of foul play and discrepancies'.
'The NSA responded that it is an illegal agency. What did the Office of the National Security Adviser do as a security institution after that discovery? If it had discovered that the agency did not exist, appropriate action ought to have been taken. They should come before this Committee and explain the actions they have taken', he added.
Meanwhile, the panel expressed profound disappointment over the failure of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to honour the committee’s invitations.
It criticised the absence of the Minister of Finance, who was represented by a ministry official, insisting that invited officials must appear in person before the committee or risk further legislative action.
The committee viewed this conduct as a serious affront to the constitutional oversight powers of the House of Representatives and an unacceptable disregard for the authority of Parliament, which represents the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.
In a statement, the panel insisted that the invitations issued by a duly constituted committee of the House of Representatives are not matters of discretion.
'They are issued pursuant to the constitutional powers vested in the National Assembly under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Compliance is therefore a legal obligation, not an act of courtesy.
'Accordingly, the Committee hereby issues this as the final notice to all defaulting Ministries, Departments and Agencies. They are directed to appear before the Committee on Thursday with all relevant officers and documents requested in the Committee’s correspondence.
'Any Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA) that fails to appear without lawful justification will leave the Committee with no alternative but to invoke every constitutional and statutory power available to the House of Representatives to compel compliance and ensure accountability.
'The Committee will not hesitate to recommend and pursue every sanction permitted by law against any person or institution that deliberately obstructs or frustrates this investigation.
'This investigation is in the national interest. It is not targeted at any individual or institution. Rather, it is aimed at establishing the facts, protecting the integrity of public administration, safeguarding the rule of law, and ensuring that no public office or institution operates outside the framework of the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
'The Committee remains committed to conducting this assignment professionally, fairly, transparently and without fear or favour. However, no agency of government, regardless of its status or perceived influence, will be permitted to undermine the constitutional authority of the House of Representatives or frustrate the discharge of its legislative responsibilities', the panel added.
The House had set up an Ad Hoc committee to investigate how the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) entered the 2026 Appropriation framework.
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!