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An internal disagreement between George Nwabueze, promoter of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, and some directors within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation may have triggered the controversy over the project. Officials in the SGF’s office alleged that the directors petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, leading the agency to believe that Nwabueze was operating an unauthorised government agency. They insisted that the organisation was actually a project office, not a government agency, and had operated within the SGF’s office since 2010.
Nwabueze has rejected the ICPC’s description, alleging that some serving and retired OSGF officials deliberately frustrated the project through administrative sabotage and the withholding of official files. He maintained that the initiative was an approved public-private project anchored on Executive Orders 003 and 005, and said he had already taken the matter to court over alleged attempts to remove the project from the SGF’s office. Meanwhile, the ICPC previously announced that President Bola Tinubu had ordered Nwabueze’s arrest and the suspension of three permanent secretaries in connection with the alleged fake agency.
The Presidency, however, said the ICPC investigation is still ongoing, with the commission expected to submit its final recommendations to President Tinubu. Presidential spokesman Temitope Ajayi urged Nigerians not to draw conclusions on culpability until the investigation is completed, while the House of Representatives said it would not interfere with the ICPC’s ongoing probe.
