Inside story: Why ICPC labelled SGF project office fake

A dispute between George Nwabueze, the promoter of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, and directors within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) appears to be the root of the controversy surrounding the office, Saturday PUNCH has learned. Multiple officials within the SGF office claim that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) was misled into believing the project office was a fake agency.

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It is not a fake agency. It is a project office. The ICPC was misled into believing it is a fake agency by some directors.

These sources suggest that a disagreement between Nwabueze and certain directors led to the directors petitioning the ICPC, alleging that Nwabueze was operating a fraudulent office. "It is not a fake agency. It is a project office," stated one official, speaking anonymously. "The ICPC was misled into believing it is a fake agency by some directors." The official further explained that the office could be dissolved at any time as it is a project office, not a permanent agency.

Another official corroborated this, questioning how a project office operating since 2010 could suddenly be deemed fake. "ICPC didn’t discover anything; they were misinformed by some people at the SGF office who have scores to settle with the promoter of that office," the source said. Saturday PUNCH noted that the ICPC has been notably silent since issuing a statement last Friday claiming the President ordered Nwabueze's arrest. A high-ranking ICPC source confirmed that no arrest had been made eight days after the purported presidential approval.

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Instead of the ICPC doing due diligence, they saw it as an opportunity to declare that they had discovered another fake agency. That is far from it. It is a project office, not an agency. It can wind down anytime.

Meanwhile, Nwabueze, through his Directorate of Legal Affairs and Strategic Communications, has refuted the description of his organization as an unauthorized government agency. He alleges that serving and retired SGF officials have actively frustrated the project through administrative sabotage and the suppression of official files. Nwabueze maintains that the project is an approved public-private special initiative operating under the SGF. He also revealed that he has filed a lawsuit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, concerning alleged threats of administrative eviction and the withholding of strategic project files, including those related to Nigeria's delegation to the Asia-Africa Summit 2026.

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ICPC didn’t discover anything; they were misinformed by some people at the SGF office who have scores to settle with the promoter of that office.