Inside story: Why ICPC labelled SGF project office fake

The controversy surrounding the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office may have been triggered by an internal disagreement between its promoter, George Nwabueze, and some officials of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Multiple officials within the OSGF told Saturday PUNCH that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission may have been misled into believing that the project office was an unauthorised federal agency. According to the officials, the disagreement between Nwabueze and some directors allegedly resulted in a petition to the ICPC, accusing him of operating a fake government office. One official, who spoke anonymously, maintained that the outfit was not a federal agency but a project office that could be wound down whenever necessary. The source alleged that the ICPC interpreted the complaint as evidence of another fake government agency instead of first establishing the office’s status. Another OSGF official questioned how the project could be described as fake when it had reportedly operated within the government office for years. The controversy emerged after the ICPC announced that it had uncovered what it described as another fake federal agency during its investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, said President Bola Tinubu had ordered the arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries in the OSGF over the matter. The commission alleged that the project office had been allocated space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation. Nwabueze, however, has strongly rejected the allegation. He maintains that the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office is a legitimate project operating under the OSGF and has existed for about 16 years. He has also produced documents which he says demonstrate the office’s connection with the government. Among the documents is an appointment letter dated October 3, 2025, purportedly issued by the OSGF, approving Nwabueze’s appointment as National Coordinator and Executive Director of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office for a five-year tenure. He also released documents showing that the project had sought special-project status from the OSGF in 2025. Nwabueze has further alleged that some serving and retired OSGF officials engaged in administrative sabotage against the project, including withholding important files. He said he petitioned the SGF over the matter and instituted a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja concerning what he described as attempts to remove the project from the OSGF. Meanwhile, questions remain over the exact status and authorisation of the office as the ICPC investigation continues. As of the latest report, the commission had not publicly responded to the allegations that it was misled, while the OSGF also declined to comment on the claims without a formal request. The Presidency is expected to await the outcome and recommendations of the ongoing investigation before determining the next course of action.