Morning recap: Tinubu approves pay rise for 250,000 troops, doctors suspend strike after Presidency brokers truce, other top stories

Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, the embattled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), has formally requested the House of Representatives to grant him administrative clearance so he can testify during the ongoing investigation into the agency's activities. The move comes amid growing scrutiny over the PFIPC, which the Nigerian presidency recently disavowed, claiming it was not authorized by the government. Adeyemi, currently in custody, expressed concerns that any findings or reports generated by the House of Representatives' ad-hoc committee without his participation would be "fundamentally flawed." His legal team, led by Festus Akhigbe, submitted a statement late Sunday outlining why they believe Adeyemi should be allowed to speak directly to the panel. They argued that his absence would prevent a complete understanding of the situation and potentially violate his constitutional rights to a fair hearing. According to the legal team, Adeyemi is being unfairly cast as the sole architect of the PFIPC, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. They pointed to several institutional actions taken by key government entities that support the existence of the PFIPC. These include acknowledgments from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), which facilitated official office allocations for the council. Additionally, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued administrative budget codes and opened operational accounts based on official documentation tied to the PFIPC. Further backing came from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), which approved the council's establishment structure and granted recruitment waivers allowing the hiring of 314 personnel. The Budget Office of the Federation and the National Assembly also processed and vetted documentation that resulted in a N1.302 billion allocation for the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act, which was signed into law by the president. The legal team emphasized that the involvement of multiple governmental bodies in recognizing and supporting the PFIPC makes it administratively impossible for one individual to have operated the organization independently. They suggested that the current focus on Adeyemi might be an attempt to deflect attention from deeper institutional failures and procedural lapses within the government. The controversy surrounding the PFIPC began after the presidency publicly distanced itself from the body, stating it was not an official government entity. This revelation sparked widespread debate about the legitimacy of the council and the potential misuse of public resources. As the investigation continues, the House of Representatives' ad-hoc committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, faces pressure to ensure all relevant parties are heard before reaching conclusions. Adeyemi's legal representatives have urged the committee to consider not only institutional witnesses but also the primary figure at the center of the controversy. Their request underscores the belief that a comprehensive understanding of the PFIPC's operations requires direct input from Adeyemi himself. Without such input, they argue, the resulting report could be incomplete and potentially misleading. As the situation unfolds, the role of the House of Representatives will be crucial in determining whether Adeyemi's testimony is included in the investigation. The outcome of this process could significantly impact the perception of the PFIPC and the broader implications for governance and accountability within the Nigerian government.