PFIPC occupied OSGF office since 2023, secured 314 staff positions — Walson-Jack

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Didi Walson-Jack

PFIPC occupied OSGF office since 2023, secured 314 staff positions — Walson-Jack

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has disclosed that the office occupied by the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) at the Phase III Federal Secretariat in Abuja is part of the office accommodation allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) since November 16, 2023.

Walson-Jack made the disclosure on Monday while testifying before the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operations of the controversial council, which is currently under investigation over allegations that it operated without a valid legal foundation.

The committee, chaired by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, is probing how the council gained access to government facilities, participated in official processes and appeared in the 2026 federal budget, despite growing concerns about its legal status.

According to the Head of Service, all matters relating to the establishment, administration, supervision and operational oversight of the PFIPC fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other relevant government institutions, not the Office of the Head of the Civil Service.

She clarified that while the council occupied office space within the Federal Secretariat, the accommodation formed part of office allocations made to the OSGF through an official letter dated November 16, 2023, dispelling suggestions that the office was recently allocated.

Walson-Jack revealed that the PFIPC submitted an application on August 6, 2025, requesting approval for its organisational structure. She explained that the request was initially rejected because the council failed to provide the mandatory legal and supporting documents required for such approval.

However, after further engagements, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service approved an authorised establishment comprising 14 existing personnel and 300 additional positions, bringing the council’s total approved workforce to 314 positions.

She further disclosed that records from the Organisation Design and Development (ODD) Department showed that the approved establishment documents were collected by a representative of the council. She also confirmed that representatives of the PFIPC participated in the 2025 Annual Manpower Budget Defence Exercise, where they defended the agency’s manpower projections before officials of the Organisation Design and Development Department.

READ ALSO:

Following the bilateral defence sessions, the council’s request was included among the fourth batch of 88 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) whose manpower proposals received approval on July 18, 2025, by the then Permanent Secretary overseeing the Office of the Head of the Civil Service.

Despite the manpower approval, Walson-Jack stressed that her office never deployed civil servants to the PFIPC. She explained that recruitment and placement of personnel remain the responsibility of individual government agencies, while salary administration falls under the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). She added that remuneration for political office holders and chief executives is determined by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The Head of Service further disclosed that the council’s organisational approval was processed manually because the electronic document management platform was temporarily unavailable at the time. However, after the controversy surrounding the council became public, her office carried out further verification and discovered that the documents submitted by the organisation were fraudulent.

According to Walson-Jack, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service has since strengthened its internal verification procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. She also confirmed that two officials linked to the processing of the council’s documentation—Mrs. Patricia Akhigbe and Jacob Oluwafemi David—have been released to the Nigeria Police Force to assist ongoing investigations.

Also appearing before the committee, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed that it opened two foreign currency accounts for the PFIPC after receiving a request from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation dated July 29, 2025. Representing CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso, the Director of Banking Services, Hamisu Abdullahi, said the apex bank opened a US Dollar domiciliary account and a Pound Sterling account after carrying out standard verification procedures.

He, however, clarified that both accounts have remained completely inactive, with no deposits, withdrawals or financial transactions recorded since they were opened.

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), informed lawmakers that the anti-corruption agency has commenced a full investigation into the matter. According to him, investigators are collecting documents, interviewing relevant government officials and tracing the administrative processes that enabled the council to obtain official recognition. He requested additional time to present the commission’s preliminary findings to the House committee.

Declaring the investigative hearing open, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, represented by the Majority Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, said the investigation is intended to establish the facts rather than fuel speculation. He noted that questions surrounding the legal status, operational framework and budgetary appearance of the PFIPC have generated significant public concern.

The Speaker urged the committee to conduct its assignment fairly, objectively and strictly in line with the Constitution and available evidence. To broaden the investigation, the committee resolved to invite several top government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Ministers of Finance and Budget and Economic Planning, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Budget Office, and the heads of relevant federal agencies.

The hearing is expected to continue with additional testimonies as lawmakers seek to establish how the council secured office accommodation, manpower approvals and access to government processes despite questions over its legal status.