‘Not a Kobo Released’: FG Breaks Silence on PFIPC Funding, Payroll Claims

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has firmly denied allegations that public funds were released to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), declaring that the council has neither received government funding nor operated an active account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The clarification comes amid growing reports suggesting that federal funds and salaries had been paid to the council, which has recently been at the centre of public scrutiny.

Addressing journalists, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the OAGF, Mr. Bawa Mokwa, described the claims as false and misleading, insisting that the council has not benefited from any budgetary allocation or financial disbursement from the Federal Government.

According to Mokwa, while steps were initially taken to open a CBN account for the council, the process was never completed because the required documentation was not provided.

He explained that the council’s convener, Adeniyi Adeyemi, had approached the OAGF with an appointment letter linked to an already existing government agency rather than the PFIPC. Based on the document presented, the account-opening process was initiated but later stalled when details of the officials designated as account signatories were not submitted.

As a result, the account never became operational, effectively preventing any government funds from being transferred to the council.

“The account, till today, has not seen the light of day. It has not seen one kobo because the account is not completely operational,” Mokwa said.

“That portrays that he has not collected a dime. The Accountant-General has not released a dime because they don’t even have a place where the money can be paid.”

Mokwa further stated that the PFIPC was not included in any approved federal budget for funding, noting that any proposed government financing for the council is expected to be considered under the 2026 budget and has not reached the implementation stage.

The OAGF also rejected reports that workers of the council had received salaries, stressing that no personnel had been recruited through the statutory procedures required for federal agencies.

“Based on our knowledge, he has not employed anybody,” Mokwa said.

He explained that federal institutions must secure approvals from the Federal Character Commission, the Budget Office and the Federal Civil Service Commission before recruiting staff and enrolling them on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Only after obtaining the necessary approvals and waivers can employee records be forwarded to the Office of the Accountant-General for inclusion on the federal payroll and subsequent salary payments.

“He cannot capture even one name without those approvals because once they are captured, payment will come from the budget,” Mokwa added, noting that none of the required procedures had been completed by the council.

Reaffirming its position, the OAGF maintained that the absence of an operational CBN account, budgetary allocation and statutory recruitment approvals makes it impossible for the PFIPC to have received public funds or paid salaries as alleged.

The agency therefore urged the public to disregard claims suggesting that government resources had been channelled to the council, insisting that no such transaction had taken place.