The controversy surrounding Nigeria’s Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has escalated dramatically, with the Federal Government filing criminal charges against its self‑styled director‑general, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, even as a ₦1.3 billion budget allocation for the supposedly non‑existent agency continues to raise urgent questions.

Adeyemi, who is facing an eight‑count charge of forgery, impersonation, and obtaining money by false pretences before the Federal High Court in Abuja, appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday to defend himself. But in a twist that has deepened the political firestorm, he levelled explosive allegations against Femi Gbajabiamila, President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff.

Adeyemi’s Explosive Claims

Addressing journalists on Thursday, Adeyemi alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s take‑off grant — a staggering ₦27,395,510,136 — and had already collected ₦400 million through a proxy, with an additional ₦200 million still outstanding to secure his appointment.

“The major rationale behind the disagreement between myself and the Chief of Staff is that he allegedly requested 48 per cent of the take‑off grant (₦27,395,510,136) from the same agency, which he denies, which I rejected after he collected a total sum of ₦400 million by proxy, with a remaining balance of ₦200 million to secure the said appointment,” Adeyemi claimed.

He further challenged the Presidency’s position, arguing that if the PFIPC does not exist — as stated in the government’s June 11 disclaimer — officials should explain why references to the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) appear on pages 50 and 51 of the 2026 Appropriation Act. Adeyemi appealed to President Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine the allegations, review official documents and budgetary references, investigate what he described as assassination attempts against him, and require the Chief of Staff to step aside while investigations are ongoing.

Presidency Dismisses Claims as Fraud

The Presidency has firmly rejected Adeyemi’s claims, describing him as a “con artist” who has “built a web of false claims to deceive unsuspecting government officials and the public”. In a disclaimer dated June 11, signed by Gbajabiamila himself, the government notified the public, diplomatic missions, financial institutions, and multilateral organisations that no such agency exists under the Tinubu administration.

“It has come to the notice of the Federal Government of Nigeria and specifically the Office of the Chief of Staff to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, that a certain Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, under the auspices of an alleged organisation styled as the ‘Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council’ is portraying himself to the general public as having been appointed by my office,” the disclaimer read.

“The unsuspecting public is hereby advised to note that such an office does not exist under this administration and no appointment has been made in that regard. Foreign and Diplomatic Missions, Financial and Multilateral Institutions, Development Organisations, Security Agencies and so on are hereby advised to note the contents of this Notice,” the statement added.

The Presidency reinforced its position in a statement issued Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who described both the PFIPC and PEAC as fictitious. Onanuga alleged that Adeyemi forged appointment documents, falsely presented himself as a government appointee, fraudulently opened a Central Bank of Nigeria account by misleading the Office of the Accountant‑General of the Federation, and fraudulently sought official diplomatic support for visa applications.

Budgetary Contradiction Emerges

Adding to the controversy, a search of the Budget Office’s published 2026 Appropriation Bill details under the “Summary by MDAs” lists an entity described as “Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” with code 0111062001 and a total allocation of ₦1.303 billion — comprising ₦802.98 million for personnel, ₦200 million for overhead, and ₦300 million for capital expenditure. This apparent budgetary reference has fuelled questions about how a supposedly non‑existent agency secured a formal budget code and allocation.

Police Investigation and Criminal Charges

According to the Presidency, concerns about the alleged agency first emerged in October 2025 after the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission complained that another organisation appeared to be operating at cross‑purposes with it. Gbajabiamila subsequently petitioned the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force over what he described as forged appointment letters. Police investigations led to Adeyemi’s arrest in Abuja on October 27, 2025, following searches of his office and residence.

“The Police found that Adeyemi, using the fake documents he created, fraudulently opened a CBN account by misleading the Office of the Accountant‑General of the Federation. According to the police, no government money has been transferred into the account,” Onanuga said.

“The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community,” the police wrote in the report of the investigation conducted by the assistant commissioner, Kabir Mogaji.

Based on their investigation, the police filed an eight‑count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against Adeyemi and two of his accomplices on November 27, 2025. He is due in court on July 27.

A Pattern of Fraudulent Misrepresentation

The Presidency also pointed to what it described as a history of fraudulent behaviour by Adeyemi. “In November 2016, he paraded himself as an ambassador and President‑General of the World Youth Organisation (WYO), an affiliate of the United Nations (UN). He claimed to have been elected in New Delhi, India. The local media celebrated him until the UN denied the existence of such a body,” Onanuga added.

Case Now Before the Courts

The Presidency has urged politicians and the public not to accept Adeyemi’s allegations uncritically, advising them to await the outcome of his trial and the court’s judgment since the matter is now before the court. Adeyemi, who has maintained that he possesses a genuine appointment letter, has declared his readiness to face the law. “I’m ready to face the court of law to clear my name,” he said during his Channels Television interview.

The case is now before the Federal High Court, where the forgery and impersonation charges against Adeyemi will proceed. Meanwhile, the political fallout continues to unfold, with the Presidency standing firm on its position that the PFIPC never existed and that Adeyemi’s claims are built on fraudulent foundations.