ICPC Responds to Column Alleging Misrepresentations in 'Fake Agencies' Investigation

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has issued a formal right of reply to address what it terms "factual misrepresentations" in a syndicated column by Dr. Rueben Abati. Abati's article, titled "The Menace of Fake Agencies," discussed the proliferation of unauthorized government bodies in Nigeria, linking them to systemic issues like poor record-keeping and the non-implementation of the Oronsaye Report.

The ICPC acknowledged the validity of Abati's broader arguments concerning weak governance structures in Nigeria, stating that these points align with the commission's mandate to combat corruption and enhance integrity in public institutions. However, the commission asserts that specific inaccuracies in Abati's piece unfairly cast doubt on the ICPC's investigation into these "fake agencies."

The commission detailed its involvement, beginning on July 7, 2020, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the "Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council" (PFIPC) within 30 days. The ICPC claims to have conducted a thorough investigation, submitted its report on August 6, and subsequently uncovered two additional unauthorized agencies: the "FCT Investment Promotion Agency" (FIPA) and the "Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership" (FIPA-PPP).

Further findings, briefed to President Tinubu on August 21 by ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), reportedly revealed a third unauthorized entity: the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, promoted by George Buchi Nwabueze. The ICPC contends that Abati's column contained four misleading inaccuracies that unfairly question the commission's work on this specific investigation.