I was misled by “fake PFIPC agency”, deputy speaker says

Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, has admitted that he was initially misled by the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), saying the experience exposed how convincingly the group presented itself as an official institution.

Kalu made the disclosure on Wednesday during plenary as the House resolved to investigate the controversial allocation of more than N1.3 billion to the non-existent agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

Recounting his encounter, the Deputy Speaker said his office received a letter dated May 2, 2025, from an organisation identifying itself as both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

According to him, the correspondence bore the presidency’s insignia, carried what appeared to be official government branding, listed an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, and even featured a “.gov.ng” website, making it appear authentic.

Kalu said his office carried out preliminary checks, including verifying the physical address provided, and officials confirmed that the organisation was indeed operating from the stated location.

Despite the convincing appearance, Kalu said he became suspicious when representatives of the organisation eventually met with him.

“They abandoned the policy issues contained in their letter and appeared more interested in taking photographs,” he said, explaining that the unusual conduct raised concerns about the group’s true intentions.

The Deputy Speaker said the incident demonstrated that even senior government officials could be deceived by well-crafted impersonation schemes.

“This shows that having the presidency on a letterhead is no longer sufficient proof that an agency is genuine,” Kalu said, urging lawmakers to determine how the organisation secured office space within the Federal Secretariat and gained access to top government officials.

His remarks came in support of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi, who called for a comprehensive investigation into the inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 budget despite the agency having no legal backing.

Leading the debate, Gagdi argued that the allocation exposed serious weaknesses in Nigeria’s budget process and suggested that other fictitious agencies could have slipped into previous appropriation laws unnoticed.

He noted that although the organisation is already facing criminal proceedings before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the House inquiry would focus on how it gained official recognition within the federal budgeting process.

Following the debate, the House resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate how the agency was captured in the 2026 Appropriation Framework and to trace its inclusion from the executive proposal through legislative consideration.