PFICP scandal: How ₦1.3bn ‘fake agency’ traced to Buhari’s government entered 2026 budget 

The Budget Office of the Federation has disclosed that the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) — now declared fake and under investigation — originated from institutional records linked to the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, made this known while appearing before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the matter. He explained that although ₦1.302 billion was appropriated for the council in the 2026 budget, not a single kobo was released because statutory spending controls prevented the funds from ever being accessed.

Providing a detailed account of how the PFIPC found its way into the 2026 budget, Yakubu traced the council’s institutional origin to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), which President Buhari inaugurated on October 9, 2019. By the time the 2026 budget preparations began, official government instruments had already been issued by key institutions. The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had assigned an administrative budget code to the PFIPC, while the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had approved an authorised establishment and a recruitment waiver. Yakubu emphasised that the Budget Office did not create the council or approve its establishment — it merely acted on official documents received from other government institutions. In his words, “The Budget Office did not create the Council. It did not assign its code. It did not approve its establishment. It did not grant its recruitment waiver. It received official instruments and did what the law required of it: it measured their fiscal effect.”

Giving a breakdown of how the ₦1.302 billion allocation was calculated, Yakubu disclosed that the PFIPC initially requested ₦3.85 billion for personnel costs, but the Budget Office independently calculated a reduced figure of ₦802,978,783. This amount, which represented 61.63 per cent of the total ₦1.302 billion appropriation, was based strictly on the authorised establishment, the approved recruitment waiver, the applicable public-service salary structure, and the extant costing methodology. The overhead component stood at ₦200 million, while capital expenditure was set at ₦300 million. Despite the full appropriation of ₦1.302 billion, not a single kobo was disbursed to the council.

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Explaining why the money was never released, Yakubu stated that despite the appropriation, the council could not access the funds because the Budget Office withheld Financial Clearance — the mandatory approval required before recruitment, payroll enrolment, or salary payments can commence. He clarified that two conditions remained incomplete: first, the 2026 Appropriation Bill only became law on March 31, 2026, meaning final clearance could not be issued before presidential assent; second, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had not confirmed that the proposed staffing and remuneration arrangements complied with the approved public-service compensation framework. Yakubu stressed that “There was no Financial Clearance. There was no lawful recruitment. There was no payroll enrollment. There was no salary payment. Not one kobo of the personnel provision could lawfully have been drawn. Not one kobo was drawn.” The overhead allocation of ₦200 million could not be released because it required treasury warrants and cash backing from the Federal Ministry of Finance, while the capital allocation of ₦300 million never progressed beyond appropriation because no procurement plan was initiated, no tenders board approved any project, and no Certificate of No Objection was issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement.

The scandal surrounding how a ‘fake agency’ gained official recognition became public on June 11, 2026, when the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, declared the council fake and petitioned law enforcement agencies. Subsequent investigations revealed that the PFIPC had secured office space within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, that the Central Bank of Nigeria opened two foreign currency accounts — one in US dollars and another in British pounds — on the directive of the Office of the Accountant-General, and that the agency was listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budget of ₦1.302 billion. It was also discovered that the self-declared Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, presented forged appointment letters and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee. On July 7, 2026, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report within 30 days.

In the midst of counterclaims and the ongoing investigation, before his arrest, Adeniyi Adeyemi alleged that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million through a proxy and demanded an additional ₦200 million to secure his appointment. The Chief of Staff has denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit seeking ₦15 billion in damages. The ICPC investigation is now examining forged appointment letters and official documents, the use of false presidential claims to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, the opening of multiple bank accounts using allegedly forged documents, the role of public officers, private individuals, and financial institutions that may have facilitated the scheme, as well as broader weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited. The Budget Office has maintained that the episode demonstrates the strength of Nigeria’s public financial management system, as the controls held firm and prevented any actual loss of public funds.

PFICP scandal: How ₦1.3bn ‘fake agency’ traced to Buhari’s government entered 2026 budget 

INEC urges eligible Nigerians to complete Continuous Voter Registration as deadline ends Sunday

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a final appeal to eligible Nigerians to complete their Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) before the exercise officially closes on Sunday, July 26, 2026, warning that no further registrations will be accepted after the deadline unless a new exercise is announced.

In a notice published on its official X account, the electoral commission reminded prospective voters that the remaining hours present the last opportunity to register ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging citizens not to wait until the deadline expires.

“Your future won’t wait. Neither should you. The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ends Sunday, 26 July 2026,” the commission stated.

INEC explained that eligible Nigerians can complete the registration process through its dedicated online CVR portal or visit any designated registration centre nationwide for physical assistance.

According to the commission, all INEC State Offices, Local Government Area (LGA) offices and approved registration centres will remain open daily, including weekends, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. until the exercise closes.

The electoral body encouraged citizens requiring assistance to visit the nearest registration centre to complete their enrolment before the deadline.

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The Continuous Voter Registration exercise is designed to register Nigerians who have recently attained the age of 18, first-time voters who have never enrolled, citizens seeking to transfer their voting location after relocating, and registered voters who need to correct or update their personal information.

The exercise also allows registered voters to replace lost, stolen or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) without undergoing fresh registration, while those who have changed their place of residence can apply for a transfer to a more convenient polling location.

INEC has repeatedly advised Nigerians against multiple registrations, warning that duplicate registrations are prohibited under the Electoral Act and could lead to the cancellation of affected records during the commission’s verification process.

The commission said the nationwide registration exercise forms a crucial part of its preparations for the 2027 general elections, as the updated national register of voters will determine those eligible to participate in presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections.

The electoral umpire has continued to expand access to voter registration through digital technology, enabling eligible Nigerians to initiate or complete the process online before biometric verification where required. The initiative is aimed at reducing congestion at registration centres and improving the efficiency of voter enrolment nationwide.

Election stakeholders have described voter registration as one of the most critical stages of Nigeria’s democratic process, noting that citizens who fail to register before the deadline may be unable to vote in the 2027 elections until another registration window is announced by the commission.

Civil society organisations have also urged young Nigerians, persons with disabilities and other eligible citizens who have yet to register to take advantage of the final hours of the exercise to ensure broader participation in future elections.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections and encouraged Nigerians to actively participate in the electoral process by ensuring their voter registration details are complete and accurate before the registration portal closes.

With the deadline fast approaching, the commission urged all eligible citizens who are yet to register or update their voter records to act immediately, stressing that every eligible vote begins with successful registration.

INEC urges eligible Nigerians to complete Continuous Voter Registration as deadline ends Sunday

Court grants Blessing CEO N20m bail in alleged N69.15m property fraud case

Social media personality and relationship coach Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has been granted N20 million bail by a Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja in her ongoing trial over an alleged N69.15 million property fraud.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, who presided over the case, admitted the defendant to bail with two sureties in like sum, ruling that although the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not oppose the application, the court was still required to independently evaluate the nature of the charges, the applicable law and the likelihood of the defendant standing trial before exercising its discretion.

In delivering the ruling, the judge also considered submissions by the defence regarding the whereabouts of Blessing CEO’s international passport after her legal team informed the court that the travel document had been misplaced and presented supporting evidence.

As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered that each surety must provide evidence of financial capacity, including a three-year bank statement or proof of fixed deposits valued at not less than N20 million. The defendant and her sureties are also required to undergo verification through the Lagos State Judiciary’s Bail Information Management System (BIMS) before the bail can be perfected.

Justice Oshodi further directed the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to place the defendant on a travel watch list pending the determination of the case, effectively restricting her from leaving Nigeria without the court’s approval.

The matter was subsequently adjourned until October 12, 2026, for the continuation of trial.

The EFCC arraigned Blessing CEO on June 9, 2026, on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing, offences she allegedly committed in connection with a property transaction in Lagos. She pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to her.

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According to the anti-graft agency, Blessing CEO allegedly obtained N69.15 million from Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited in March 2025 after allegedly representing that she could secure a five-year lease of a property located in Lekki, Lagos.

The prosecution alleged that the representation was false and that the money was dishonestly obtained under the guise of facilitating the property transaction.

The EFCC further argued that the alleged offences contravene Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State and Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

During the bail proceedings, the prosecution maintained that it was prepared to proceed with trial, while the defence urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendant had cooperated with investigators and remained willing to attend all court proceedings.

The court ultimately ruled that the constitutional presumption of innocence entitled the defendant to bail, provided adequate conditions were imposed to ensure her appearance throughout the trial.

The case has attracted widespread public attention because of Blessing CEO’s prominence on social media, where she has built a large following through relationship advice, celebrity commentary and lifestyle content.

The latest proceedings also come as the influencer continues to face another pending criminal matter before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, where she is standing trial in a separate alleged fraud case involving about N36 million. Both cases remain before the courts, and no verdict has been delivered.

Legal analysts note that the outcome of the ongoing trial will depend entirely on the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defence, while reiterating that under Nigerian law, every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

Court grants Blessing CEO N20m bail in alleged N69.15m property fraud case