The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has intensified as Adeniyi Adeyemi, the embattled man claiming to be the council’s Director-General, questioned how an organisation described as non-existent by the Presidency could have appeared in government records.
Adeyemi said he was ready to cooperate with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after President Bola Tinubu ordered an investigation into the activities and documents linked to the disputed body.
Also read: PFIPC signage still at Abuja secretariat amid ₦1.3bn budget controversy
Speaking during an Instagram interview with social media personality VeryDarkMan, Adeyemi said he would provide relevant documents to security agencies to help establish the facts surrounding the council.
“I am willing and ready to help security agencies or any panel set up by Mr President to unravel the truth,” he said.
The development comes amid a widening PFIPC probe following allegations that the council operated without proper government approval, with the Presidency insisting that no such agency was established by the Federal Government.
Adeyemi, however, challenged the claim, arguing that investigators should determine how the council became associated with official processes.
“They should authenticate them. They should verify them. They should unravel the truth,” he said.
Questioning the Presidency’s position, Adeyemi said he found it difficult to understand how the council could be dismissed as fake after allegedly appearing in national budget documents.
“When the Presidency, through the Chief of Staff, said the agency does not exist, I wondered how an agency that found its way into the national budget could suddenly be described as fake,” he said.
Adeyemi also explained that he was not responsible for preparing or defending any budget document connected to the council, noting that he was in detention for 23 days during the period the budget was being prepared.
“I did not prepare or defend any budget, and nobody went to defend it on my behalf. That is why I am confused about how the agency found its way into the national budget,” he added.
On allegations involving the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Adeyemi said he would rather allow an independent investigation to determine the facts.
“I wouldn’t say he’s lying, and I wouldn’t say he’s telling the truth. That is why I requested that Mr President set up an investigative panel to unravel the truth, so we will know those involved,” he said.
The Presidency has maintained that the PFIPC has no legal foundation, presidential approval or official instrument establishing it.
President Tinubu has directed the ICPC to investigate claims involving alleged forged appointment letters, official documents, bank accounts and diplomatic activities linked to the purported council.
Also read: PFIPC signage still at Abuja secretariat amid ₦1.3bn budget controversy
The anti-corruption agency is expected to submit its findings within 30 days, which could determine the next stage of the dispute and clarify how the disputed organisation became connected to government processes.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
