The House of Representatives Committee investigating the establishment and operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council has said it will announce its preliminary findings next week after concluding the current phase of its probe.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), disclosed this on Wednesday at the end of a public hearing held in Abuja.
Gagdi said the committee had been unable to hear from the council’s Director-General, Mr. Adeyemi Adeniyi, following confirmation from relevant authorities that he remains in police custody on the strength of a subsisting court order.
He revealed that preliminary investigations uncovered what the committee described as extensive document forgery linked to the operations of the council.
According to him, no fewer than 19 allegedly forged State House documents were used by Adeniyi to obtain approvals from government agencies for the council’s activities.
“The committee will conclude this phase of the investigation by holding closed-door sessions with the remaining government agencies to obtain further clarifications, consolidate its findings and ensure that every party is given a fair hearing in line with the principles of due process,” Gagdi said.
He added that after completing the exercise, the committee would present its preliminary findings to the public next week, with the exact date to be announced after the House of Representatives resumes plenary.
The lawmaker said the committee remained committed to conducting a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation aimed at ensuring justice, accountability and the protection of public interest.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, inaugurated the investigative committee on July 20 to examine the alleged establishment of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council without a valid legal foundation.
According to the Speaker, concerns had been raised over the council’s legal status, statutory mandate, operational framework and relationship with existing government agencies.
He also questioned the council’s inclusion in the Federal Government’s budget despite widespread uncertainty surrounding its establishment and legal backing.
