Abati Calls for Head of Civil Service’s Resignation Over PFIPC Controversy

Veteran broadcaster and Arise News presenter, Reuben Abati, has urged the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, to resign following her admission that proper due diligence was not conducted in the process that led to the recognition of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Abati made the call during Thursday’s edition of The Morning Show on Arise Television while reacting to the ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives into the activities of the disputed agency.

According to him, Walson-Jack’s acknowledgment of procedural lapses reflects a serious failure within the Federal Civil Service and should attract personal accountability.

He argued that in many countries, such an admission would typically be followed by a resignation, stressing that the development raises concerns about how government institutions carry out their responsibilities.

He also questioned how officials could assign civil servants to Adeyemi Adeniyi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC, without first confirming the legal existence of the agency through an Establishment Act.

According to the broadcaster, the incident suggests significant weaknesses in the government’s verification process and calls into question whether similar irregularities may exist in other public institutions.

Abati urged investigators to determine whether other government agencies were established, funded, or staffed based on questionable or fraudulent documentation.

He described the situation as an embarrassment to the Nigerian government, warning that it damages the country’s reputation and exposes weaknesses in public administration.

The veteran journalist called for a comprehensive audit of government agencies to uncover the full extent of the alleged irregularities and insisted that Walson-Jack should accept responsibility by stepping down from office.

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