Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, who describes himself as the Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has explained how the proposed agency reportedly found its way into the Federal Government’s 2026 budget, despite his arrest before the appropriation process was concluded.
Adeyemi made the remarks during an interview with social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, in a video released after his arrest.
He denied allegations that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, played any role in securing the agency’s reported ₦1.3 billion allocation, insisting that he personally approached officials at the Budget Office to seek the agency’s inclusion.
According to Adeyemi, he first visited the Budget Office in December 2024 with a request for the agency to be captured in the 2025 Appropriation Bill, but officials informed him that the budget process had already closed.
“I submitted my proposal, but they told me it was too late for the 2025 budget. When the budget was eventually released and the agency wasn’t included, they said it would be considered for the 2026 budget,” he explained.
Budget Officials Allegedly Promised Support
Adeyemi claimed that a female official at the Budget Office helped him gain access to the office of the Director-General before he was referred to another senior official.
According to him, the director assured him that although the proposal could no longer be accommodated in the 2025 budget, efforts would be made to include it in the 2026 appropriation.
“I Didn’t Bribe Anyone”
Responding to allegations of bribery, Adeyemi maintained that he did not pay any Budget Office official to facilitate the process.
He said the only assurance he gave was that he would consider offering employment opportunities to some of the officials’ nominees if the agency eventually became operational.
“I didn’t give anyone money. I only promised that if the agency started recruiting, I could help with employment opportunities,” he said.
Adeyemi added that all efforts to pursue the agency’s inclusion ended after his arrest, as his legal troubles became his priority.
He said he was later surprised to learn that the agency had reportedly appeared in the Federal Government’s budget.
“I had already stopped following up because I was dealing with my court case. I didn’t even know it had been included until I heard about it later,” he stated.
When asked whether Budget Office officials could have inserted the agency into the budget after his arrest, Adeyemi said he had no knowledge of how it eventually appeared in the appropriation.
Claims Over Alleged Appointment Payment
Adeyemi also addressed allegations that ₦400 million was paid to facilitate his appointment.
He claimed the funds were provided in US dollars through his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola, but said he could not confirm whether the money ever reached the President’s Chief of Staff.
According to him, Tanimola handled all transactions and communications connected to the process.
Denies Ever Meeting Gbajabiamila
Adeyemi further denied ever meeting Femi Gbajabiamila in person, either before or after his alleged appointment.
He insisted that all dealings were handled exclusively by Dolapo Tanimola and that he had no direct contact with the Chief of Staff.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency and the Budget Office have not publicly responded to Adeyemi’s latest claims.