PFIPC: Adeyemi Explains Budget Inclusion as Reps Begin Probe

Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has explained how the agency allegedly found its way into the 2026 federal budget.

Speaking in a video released after his arrest, he said he personally approached officials at the Budget Office to seek the agency’s inclusion after missing the 2025 budget window. He denied paying money to any official, saying he only promised possible employment opportunities in the future. Adeyemi also claimed he never met President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and said an intermediary handled all communications.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has begun an investigation into the legal status and budget allocation of the PFIPC. The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation told lawmakers it did not establish the council and rejected its request for approval because required documents were not provided.

The Central Bank of Nigeria also said it opened two domiciliary accounts for the council following a directive from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, but the accounts were never activated and have remained inactive with zero balance.

The House committee directed the CBN to submit full records relating to the accounts and any linked accounts in commercial banks as part of its investigation. The lawmakers are examining how the agency was included in the 2026 budget and whether due legal and budgetary procedures were followed.

Separately, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila appeared before the ICPC and answered questions as part of the ongoing investigation into the PFIPC matter.