Presidency Declares 'Foreign Intervention Promotion Council' Non-Existent as Budget Listing Sparks Public Debate

The Presidency has declared that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) does not exist as an agency of the Federal Government, despite public attention over a reported ₦1.3 billion allocation to the council in the 2026 federal budget.

In a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described the council's alleged Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, as an impostor who allegedly forged his appointment documents and falsely presented himself as the head of a non-existent government agency.

According to the statement, Adeyemi operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja for more than a year, where he reportedly hosted meetings with foreign diplomats, investors and Nigerian officials. The Presidency further alleged that he attempted to secure United States visas for some of his aides through a diplomatic note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Presidency said the matter came to light after the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, alerted President Bola Tinubu to the activities of the alleged fictitious agency, prompting an investigation by security authorities.

Police subsequently raided Adeyemi's office at the Federal Secretariat and his residence in Suleja, Niger State. Authorities said the operation uncovered 34 bank accounts, including nine allegedly opened in the names of fictitious government agencies, as well as documents investigators believe were used in the alleged fraud. Police also alleged that Adeyemi fraudulently opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria by impersonating a government official.

Adeyemi was arrested, later released on bail, and is currently facing an eight-count charge, including alleged forgery and impersonation. His case is scheduled to come up in court on July 27. He has not been convicted of the charges.

Before his arrest, videos circulating on social media showed Adeyemi publicly introducing himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and outlining what he described as the council's mandate to support President Bola Tinubu's administration by attracting investment and promoting economic development.

Following his release on bail, Adeyemi alleged that Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila collected ₦200 million from him with a promise to facilitate his appointment, claiming an additional ₦200 million was still outstanding. However, the allegation has not been substantiated, and Gbajabiamila has not publicly responded to the claim.

The allegation also appeared to contradict an earlier statement reportedly made by Adeyemi to police investigators, in which he allegedly said a man identified as Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, who later died in a fire incident in October 2025, assisted him in obtaining the appointment letter. The Presidency has cited this inconsistency in dismissing Adeyemi's claims and has described him as a serial fraudster.

The controversy has generated widespread debate after documents circulating online appeared to show the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council listed in the Presidency's 2026 budget with an allocation of approximately ₦1.3 billion.

The apparent contradiction has prompted questions from members of the public and policy analysts about how a council the Presidency says does not exist could appear in an approved budget and allegedly operate from office space within the Federal Secretariat.

Economic analyst Kalu Aja, in a post on X, questioned whether the budget listing reflected an administrative error or pointed to broader issues in government record-keeping and oversight. He argued that the matter requires a transparent explanation from the relevant authorities.

Commenting on the development during a television programme, public affairs analyst Reuben Abati described the situation as troubling and questioned how an individual allegedly posing as a senior government official was able to obtain office space in the Federal Secretariat, hold meetings with senior officials and foreign representatives, and continue operating for an extended period without detection.

Abati also raised concerns about the government's verification processes, noting that previous administrations maintained comprehensive records of ministries, departments, agencies and public office holders to enable officials to verify identities and appointments.

As public interest in the matter continues to grow, Nigerians are awaiting further clarification from the Presidency, the Budget Office, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and law enforcement agencies regarding the budget allocation, the status of the alleged council and the ongoing criminal proceedings against Adeyemi.

The allegations made by Adeyemi against public officials remain unproven, and the criminal case against him is yet to be determined by the court.