The brewing storm over the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, took a dramatic turn, on Wednesday, as the embattled Director-General of the council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, declared his readiness to cooperate fully with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC to unravel how the “ghost” agency secured a whopping N1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 budget.
Adeyemi’s declaration came on the heels of a 30-day ultimatum issued by President Bola Tinubu to the ICPC to investigate the council, which the Presidency insisted is non-existent and completely fraudulent.
This is even as the National Assembly became sharply divided over the matter, on Wednesday.
While the House of Representatives set up a high-powered ad hoc committee to track how the ‘fictitious’ agency bypassed rigorous checks to secure N1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, the Senate blocked an attempt to launch a parallel legislative inquiry, choosing instead to await the outcome of the executive-led anti-graft probe.
The development has triggered fierce political fireworks, with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, blasting President Tinubu’s directive to the ICPC, arguing that the Presidency cannot act as “judge and jury” in a monumental scandal where its own top officials are deeply entangled.
Speaking from his hideout, during an explosive social media interview with internet personality, VeryDarkMan, Adeyemi stated that he is prepared to turn over vital official documents to security agencies to assist ongoing investigations.
He expressed shock over how an agency the Presidency publicly disowned could find its way into the nation’s legal framework for funding.
“I am willing and ready to help security agencies or any panel set up by Mr. President to unravel the truth. In fact, any moment from now, I will go to the DSS or the police to submit all the documents I have to help them investigate and look into this matter.
‘’They should authenticate them. They should verify them. They should unravel the truth,” Adeyemi said.
Defending himself against allegations of single-handedly inserting the budget, Adeyemi revealed a bizarre twist:
“When the Presidency 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.
“I 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.”
On his previous accusations against the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the embattled ‘D-G’ said: “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.”
Adeyemi also claimed he was attacked by gunmen near Zuma Rock in September 2025 and reiterated that his involvement with the council was driven by a desire to attract foreign investment to Nigeria.
“I don’t really have a negative plan. It’s all about passion for the country. That agency is to bring foreign investors to Nigeria and make Nigeria a preferred destination for investment,” he said.
