Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has said it was the responsibility of the Office of the SGF to detect and raise concerns over the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Babachir Lawal, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said an SGF should not ignore such issues, even if influential individuals within the Presidency attempt to sideline the office.
His comments come amid the growing controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion PFIPC scandal.
The controversy deepened on Monday after reports emerged that the Nigeria Police Force detained the father of the council’s director, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, as investigations into the alleged “ghost agency” linked to the Presidency continue.
Adeyemi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the council, is currently standing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
The Federal Government has also listed the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, along with 10 others, as prosecution witnesses in the case.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Lawal maintained that an SGF should not allow the office to be bypassed without raising objections.
Drawing from his experience in office, he explained that all agencies reporting directly to the SGF were closely monitored, particularly during the budget defence process.
“During my time, all the 23 agencies reporting directly to the SGF came through my office whenever it was time to defend their budgets,” he said.
He explained that if an agency falls under the Presidency through the SGF, its budget would ordinarily pass through the SGF’s office before reaching the National Assembly.
According to him, unless there was negligence on the part of the SGF’s office, it should have been the first institution to identify and question the existence of any alleged fake agency.
Lawal added that if he found himself being sidelined while in office, he would have taken the matter directly to the President rather than remain silent.
“If that happens to me, I’ll go to the President. If you sideline me, I’ll immediately protest to the President,” he said.
The controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) erupted after allegations surfaced that the body operated without proper government authorization despite allegedly securing budgetary allocations.
The matter has since triggered investigations by security agencies, with individuals linked to the council facing charges including conspiracy, forgery and impersonation, raising fresh concerns about oversight and accountability within government institutions.
