Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the Presidency to disclose the identities of officials allegedly involved in the fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal, arguing that the interim report by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) raises more questions than it answers.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku maintained that the Presidency cannot present the ICPC's interim findings as a clean bill of health when the report reportedly points to "negligence and connivance" within government circles that made the alleged fraud possible.

According to Atiku, the report indicates that a single individual allegedly forged a presidential appointment letter, established a fictitious federal agency, took over offices and official materials belonging to the former Presidential Economic Advisory Council, opened bank accounts using forged legislative documents, engaged in widespread impersonation, and created two additional fake government agencies.

He questioned how such extensive activities could have occurred if the State House's internal systems were indeed secure.

"If there was connivance, who connived? If public officers were negligent, who are they? Who granted access to government offices? Who recognised this supposed Director General? Who enabled him to operate within the machinery of government?" Atiku asked.

The former Vice President argued that the ICPC's reported recommendation for disciplinary action against public officers whose negligence enabled the operation contradicts any narrative that the scandal was the handiwork of a lone impostor.

"A fake agency does not walk into government offices by itself. A forged appointment letter does not validate itself. Bank accounts do not open themselves. Behind every door that opened, every process that was bypassed and every official instrument that was accessed was a human being. Name them," he said.

Atiku further alleged that the interim report shields the identities of individuals within the Presidency who allegedly facilitated the operation.

"What the ICPC interim report has done, in the main, is to shield the identities of shadow operatives within the Presidency who allegedly connived to enable the fraud. Their identities should be made public and their roles fully explained. Nigerians deserve to know who did what, who authorised what, and who opened the doors that made this possible," he added.

He stressed that an interim report cannot be treated as a certificate of innocence while investigations into possible collaborators and related bank accounts remain ongoing.

Atiku also cited the challenge reportedly issued by the central figure in the controversy, identified as Mr. Adeyemi, who has called for a live National Assembly investigation into the matter.

"The Presidency now has nowhere left to hide. If Mr. Adeyemi is prepared to appear publicly, testify under oath and answer questions before Nigerians, then let him be heard. The National Assembly should immediately institute an open, live-broadcast public hearing into this scandal," he said.

He insisted that if the Presidency has nothing to conceal, it should welcome full public scrutiny.

"If the Villa is truly clean, it should be the first to welcome live television coverage. Let Nigerians watch, unedited, as witnesses testify and evidence is presented under oath. What is the Presidency afraid of?" he queried.

The ADC presidential candidate warned that anything short of a transparent public hearing would only reinforce public suspicion that influential figures were being protected.

He called for the release of the full ICPC report and the publication of the identities of every public official found culpable, insisting that only an independent and transparent investigation can restore public confidence.

"Transparency cannot stop where the trail enters the corridors of power. The Presidency cannot investigate itself into innocence.

"Open the investigation. Put the witnesses under oath. Switch on the cameras. Let Nigerians hear the truth for themselves. The question remains: who inside the Villa opened the door?" Atiku asked.