Atiku Reacts to Presidency's Statement on Alleged Fake Agency

• Atiku Abubakar claimed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government is compromised by internal fraudsters
• The ADC presidential candidate criticised the Presidency's explanation as a public confession of institutional failure
• The former vice president said contradictions arise over the existence and funding of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC)

Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja - The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) shows President Bola Tinubu’s administration is being held hostage by fraudsters.

Atiku lamented that fraudsters are operating from within the very institutions established to protect Nigeria.

Atiku said Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga’s response was not a defence but a public confession of institutional collapse.

From breaking news to viral moments. Follow Legit.ng on Instagram.

This was contained in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Thursday, July 2, 2026 and made available to Legit.ng.

He said the Presidency's attempt at damage control has become self-indictment.

"The Presidency now wants Nigerians to believe that one private citizen single-handedly forged presidential documents, impersonated senior government officials, established an office inside the Federal Secretariat, allegedly opened dozens of bank accounts—including accounts bearing government identities—hosted foreign ambassadors without diplomatic clearance, secured official recognition across several government circles, and all but embedded a phantom agency into the machinery of government without a single insider aiding him. That explanation demands far greater faith than the scandal itself.”

The former vice president said there are glaring contradictions that the Presidency failed to explain.

"On one hand, it insists that the PFIPC never existed and was nothing more than an elaborate scam. On the other hand, public records reportedly reveal that approximately ₦1.3 billion was appropriated for that very council in the 2026 Appropriation Act, listed alongside the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

"This contradiction is too monumental to ignore."

Presidency clears Gbajabiamila in alleged fake agency

Recall that the presidency cleared Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila of ties to forged agency allegations.

Investigation revealed a fake council operated without government authorisation, raising diplomatic concerns.

The suspect, Adeniyi Adeyemi, has been arrested amid claims of fraudulent activities linked to non-existent presidential structures.

Read more similar stories:

• Tinubu Told to Suspend Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff, Reason Emerges
• Atiku Raises Fresh Allegation Against Tinubu Over NDC Deregistration
• Atiku Slams Tinubu's Govt, Condemns Court Ruling Seeking ADC Deregistration, Discloses Next Action
• Presidency Breaks Silence on Atiku's Renewed Ambition
• Atiku Blasts Tinubu Over Oyo School Abduction: 'Parents Need Their Children, Not Rice'

Atiku calls out Tinubu over ₦501bn power bond

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Atiku condemned the Tinubu administration over what he described as an unaccounted cycle of power sector borrowing.

APGC Executive Secretary Dr Joy Ogaji disclosed that the ₦501 billion bond has not been fully disbursed, directly contradicting repeated government claims.

Atiku demanded that the Federal Government publish names, amounts, and payment dates for every generation company that received funds from the bond.