THE Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Esther Walson-Jack, has denied claims that her office allocated office space or deployed personnel to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
She made the clarification while appearing before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the PFIPC controversy and the ₦1.3 billion reportedly allocated to the agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
According to Walson-Jack, although the PFIPC requested the deployment of civil servants, the request was only acknowledged and never approved.
She stressed that no staff from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation were assigned to the council.
She also dismissed reports that the council occupied office space within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, stating that her office never authorised or allocated any office accommodation to the PFIPC.
Walson-Jack revealed that the council had sought approval for its organisational structure, but the request was rejected because it failed to provide the required supporting documents.
She added that there was no record of the PFIPC submitting any request for approval of its conditions of service.
The Head of Service explained that while her office oversees the approval of conditions of service for government agencies, issues relating to salaries and allowances fall under the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, while the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission is responsible for determining the remuneration of political office holders and chief executives.
She further noted that any new government agency seeking official recognition must present a valid establishment Act or other legal documents confirming its existence before such requests can be processed.
Walson-Jack told lawmakers that during the 2025 Annual Workforce Projection and Human Resources event, PFIPC representatives revealed that the council was already operating with personnel seconded from other government agencies.
They also requested an authorised establishment and a recruitment waiver, stating that 14 officials were already working with the organisation.
She, however, clarified that the recruitment and placement of staff remain the responsibility of individual government agencies, not the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
She added that the PFIPC submitted copies of what it described as the appointment letter of its director-general, along with documents indicating that it had been assigned a budget code.
The controversy surrounding the PFIPC intensified after Adeniyi Adeyemi, who identified himself as the agency’s director-general, claimed that the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, appointed him and alleged that he paid money to secure the position.
Gbajabiamila has denied the allegations and filed a lawsuit against Adeyemi, who was arrested in Osun State on July 14. The Presidency has also maintained that the PFIPC does not exist and accused Adeyemi of forging the appointment letter.
