The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has admitted that her office failed to carry out adequate checks before granting recruitment approvals linked to the controversial Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC).
Appearing before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the PFIPC controversy on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, Walson-Jack accepted responsibility for what she described as a lapse in due diligence, saying her office relied on documents that were later found to be unverified.
“We ought to have carried out more due diligence,” she told lawmakers while responding to questions over how approvals connected to the disputed entity were processed.
The admission came as the House committee intensified its investigation into the alleged creation and operation of the PEAC/PFIPC, an entity the Federal Government has repeatedly maintained was never lawfully established. President Bola Tinubu had on July 7, 2026, directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of the purported c
Council, including allegations of forged government documents and false claims of official recognition.
Walson-Jack explained that while her office processed requests presented with official-looking documentation, it did not establish the agency, allocate office accommodation or deploy civil servants to it. She noted that a later request seeking approval of the Council’s organisational structure was rejected because the required supporting documents were not provided.
The Head of Service also clarified that her office is responsible for approving administrative structures and conditions of service for federal agencies, while matters relating to salaries and remuneration fall under the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
Her testimony followed earlier submissions by the Budget Office of the Federation, which maintained that although the National Assembly appropriated funds for the PEAC/PFIPC in the 2026 budget, no money was released because the mandatory financial clearance was never issued and the statutory conditions for expenditure were not met. The Budget Office insisted that no recruitment was lawfully completed, no payroll was activated and no public funds were disbursed.
The House panel, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, has heard from several ministries, departments and agencies as part of its investigation. Lawmakers have also disclosed that about 29 documents linked to the disputed Council are suspected to have been forged, while the Inspector-General of Police was directed to produce the alleged Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, before the committee as the probe continues.