- Indicts top officials in budget office
*Reps begin investigation
By Eshioromeh Sebastian and James Adamu
Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, who styles himself as Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has opened up on how the agency found its way into the 2026 federal budget despite his arrest long before the appropriation process was finalised.
In a recorded interview with social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, released shortly after his detention, Adeyemi detailed his visits to the Budget Office and the officials he engaged in pursuit of the agency’s inclusion.
He disclosed that he first approached the Budget Office in December 2024, seeking to have the PFIPC captured in the 2025 Appropriation Bill, but was told the process had already been concluded.
“I went to that Budget Office for the 2025 budget. I submitted the letter and everything that I wanted, but I was told it was already late,” Adeyemi said.
According to him, officials then assured him the proposal would be considered for the 2026 budget instead.
“When the 2025 budget came out and I didn’t see it, they told me it would now be for the 2026 budget. We kept in touch because they said it would be considered later,” he stated.
Adeyemi narrated how a female official facilitated his access to the Director-General of the Budget Office, who thereafter directed him to another director for further engagement.
“She helped me to see the oga. Oga now said, ‘Where is my shini?’ I said I don’t have any shini. He later asked me to meet one director,” he said.
It was there, he said, that he was informed the 2025 window had closed, but that efforts would continue towards the following year’s appropriation.
“They were trying for me that maybe they would include it, but unfortunately they said it could not be included in the 2025 budget. They said it would be for 2026,” he stated.
When pressed on whether any financial inducement changed hands, Adeyemi insisted he paid no cash to any official.
“Honestly, I did not pay any money. I didn’t pay anybody. The only thing I promised was that if I started employing people, I could help them with employment opportunities,” he said.
He admitted, however, to promising future favours to some officials.
“That was the favour I promised them. I did not give anybody money. It was just a promise that if they had people, I could employ them later,” he stated.
He maintained that all dealings with the Budget Office ceased immediately after his arrest, adding that he was surprised to later discover the PFIPC had appeared in the 2026 budget.
“Immediately there was a problem, everything stopped. Even the woman that wanted to help was calling but she couldn’t reach me. I told her to let everything stop,” he said.
“I didn’t even know until they said it was inside the budget. I had already left the office. Where would I still pursue the budget when I was already facing the court?” he added.
When the interviewer suggested officials might have inserted the agency into the budget after his arrest, Adeyemi said he could not explain how it happened.
“I don’t know because once that problem started, everything stopped. Why would I still pursue the budget when I was already in trouble?” he said.
On the alleged N400 million payment reportedly made to facilitate his appointment, Adeyemi claimed the money, in United States dollars, was delivered through his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola.
Asked the denomination of the money, he replied, “Dollars.” Asked who received it, he answered, “Dolapo.”
He, however, insisted he never met the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, either before or after the appointment.
“I never met Gbajabiamila physically before and after he was appointed. Dolapo Tanimola handled everything for me,” Adeyemi said.
Reps Investigative Hearing Expands as More Agencies Testify
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the PFIPC saga yesterday began its public hearing, with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria testifying before lawmakers.
The Head of Service, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, told the committee that her office played no role in establishing the council, clarifying that agency creation falls outside its constitutional mandate.
“The approval and establishment of agencies is not within the purview of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. However, the OHCSF is responsible for approving the administrative structure of federal government agencies,” she said.
She revealed that the PFIPC submitted a request for approval of its organisational structure in August 2025, but the request was rejected due to inadequate documentation.
“From our records, the council submitted a request to the OHCSF for approval of its organisational structure on August 6, 2025, without providing the requisite documents. Consequently, the request was not granted,” she stated.
She also disclosed that the council later requested an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver during the 2025 manpower budget defence exercise, which was processed alongside those of other MDAs and approved.
“The officials informed the department that 14 officers, including the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, were already on ground and requested the issuance of an authorised establishment, together with a recruitment waiver, to enable the organisation commence full operations,” she said.
She noted, however, that her office later discovered irregularities in the legal documents submitted by the council.
“It was observed that the document presented by the council as its enabling law or legal instrument did not really carry the requisite features,” Walson-Jack told lawmakers.
She further denied deploying any civil servants to the agency.
“We wish to state that there was no deployment of staff by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to the council,” she added.
She also dismissed reports that her office allocated office accommodation to the council.
“While there is speculation that the council occupied office space in the Federal Secretariat Phase III, we can state categorically that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation did not allocate any office space to the PEAC/PFIPC,” she said.
Testifying for the CBN, Director Hamisu Abdullahi explained that the apex bank opened two domiciliary accounts for the council in July 2025 following a mandate from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
“As a banker to the Federal Government, the Central Bank has responsibility for opening all accounts for ministries, departments and agencies, with the exception of those exempted from the Treasury Single Account,” Abdullahi said.
He told lawmakers that the accounts were never activated because the council failed to submit authorised signatories.
“On July 30, 2025, we received a mandate dated July 29, 2025, from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to open one United States dollar domiciliary account and one Pound Sterling domiciliary account,” he said.
“Those two accounts remain inactive with zero balance and have never been operated,” Abdullahi stated.
“There have been no foreign exchange allocations, no remittances, no inflows and no outflows. The accounts have maintained zero balance from inception to date,” he added.
Following the testimonies, committee chairman Abdulmalik Danga directed the CBN to furnish the panel with complete records of all financial transactions linked to both the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
“We want details of account activities relating to the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council as well as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. From the opening of the accounts to their last status, this committee wants the complete records,” Danga directed.
The committee also ordered the apex bank to obtain details of any related accounts operated in commercial banks and submit the records to assist lawmakers in concluding the investigation.
Speaker Abbas Outlines Committee Mandate
Inaugurating the 12-member ad hoc committee, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas directed the panel to determine whether there was any legal basis for the council’s establishment and to investigate the processes that led to its creation.
“The House of Representatives has, therefore, not constituted this committee to validate speculation or amplify controversy. Neither is this a political exercise. Our objective is simply to establish the facts,” the Speaker said.
He stressed that parliamentary oversight remains a constitutional obligation and a key mechanism for ensuring transparency, accountability and citizen participation in governance.
The committee is also expected to examine the council’s mandate, governance structure, funding sources, and how it was incorporated into the federal budget framework.
Summons Issued to Top Government Officials
Following the initial testimonies, the committee summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to explain how the PFIPC acquired office space in the Federal Secretariat. The panel also invited the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele; the Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi; the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Shamseldeen Ogunjimi; and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, to appear before it.
The panel, however, has not invited Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, a decision which has drawn criticism from some lawmakers.
Gbajabiamila Appears Before ICPC
In a related development, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday appeared before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in response to an invitation extended to him over the PFIPC scandal. His appearance followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the commission conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
His lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, confirmed in a statement that Gbajabiamila honoured the invitation.
“In full cooperation with the ICPC and acting as directed by the President of Nigeria, I hereby confirm that my client, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria, responded to the invitation of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and appeared at about 15:00 hrs on Monday, July 20, 2026, as part of the ongoing investigation into the activities of the ‘PFIPC’ fake agency, among others,” Ogunye said.
“My client gave his testimony, responded to questions accordingly, and has returned to his duty post,” he added.
PFIPC Saga: What We Know So Far
The PFIPC controversy erupted after it emerged that a self-styled government agency, which officials say was never legally established, had occupied office space at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja and secured a budgetary allocation of approximately N1.3 billion for 2026. While the allocation was approved by the National Assembly, presidential aides have insisted that no funds were actually disbursed to the council.
Adeyemi, who claimed to have been appointed by President Tinubu and to have received an appointment letter from Chief of Staff Gbajabiamila, has seen both men deny ever meeting him. The ICPC is investigating the circumstances surrounding the allegedly forged appointment letters, the opening of multiple bank accounts in the agency’s name, and whether Adeyemi sought or received diplomatic privileges including visa facilitation.
Adeyemi has maintained his innocence, telling reporters that he only wanted to attract foreign investment and leave his mark on history, adding that he personally spent N400 million of his own money to set up the office. He has insisted that the PFIPC was lawfully established and vowed to prove his innocence in court.
Opposition politicians and civil society groups have continued to question how an agency with no legal backing could be included in the national budget, intensifying pressure on the Tinubu administration ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
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