Adeyemi Denies Paying Budget Officials, Explains PFIPC’s Inclusion in 2026 Budget

Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, who describes himself as the Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has explained the events that, according to him, led to the agency’s appearance in the Federal Government’s 2026 budget despite his arrest before the budget process was concluded.

Speaking in a recorded interview with VeryDarkMan, Adeyemi denied claims that Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila influenced the agency’s N1.3 billion allocation, saying he personally lobbied Budget Office officials.

He recalled approaching the Budget Office in December 2024, seeking the council’s inclusion in the 2025 budget but was told the process had closed.

“When the 2025 budget came out and I didn’t see it, they told me it would now be for the 2026 budget.”

Adeyemi claimed a female official facilitated access to senior officials, who later informed him that the proposal would instead be considered during preparations for the 2026 appropriation.

Rejecting allegations of bribery, he maintained that no cash changed hands.

“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.”

According to him, every effort concerning the proposal ended after his legal troubles began.

“I didn’t even know until they said it was inside the budget. I had already left the office.”

Adeyemi also denied ever meeting Femi Gbajabiamila, although he alleged that N400 million, converted to US dollars, was delivered through his late associate Dolapo Tanimola.

“I never met Gbajabiamila physically before and after he was appointed. Dolapo Tanimola handled everything for me.”

Agencies Distance Themselves

At the same time, the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating PFIPC opened its public hearing.

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation told lawmakers it neither established the council nor deployed staff or allocated office space to it.

Head of Service Didi Esther Walson-Jack said PFIPC’s request for approval of its organisational structure was rejected because it lacked the necessary legal documents.

The Central Bank of Nigeria also stated that it merely complied with a directive from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to open two foreign currency accounts for the council in July 2025, stressing that both accounts have remained inactive.

“There have been no foreign exchange allocations, no remittances, no inflows and no outflows. The accounts have maintained zero balance from inception to date.”

The committee subsequently directed the CBN to submit complete records relating to the accounts while continuing its investigation into the council’s legal status, funding and budgetary inclusion.

Meanwhile, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila appeared before the ICPC after being invited to provide information as part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged PFIPC scandal.

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