Accused PFIPC 'DG' Adeniyi Adeyemi Offers ICPC Full Cooperation

Adeniyi Adeyemi, the individual who has been presenting himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has declared his readiness to collaborate with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in its ongoing inquiry into the purported agency. Adeyemi made this statement on Tuesday during an Instagram live session with social media personality VeryDarkMan. His declaration came merely hours after President Bola Tinubu instructed the ICPC to thoroughly investigate the activities of the alleged council and all associated matters, demanding a comprehensive report within 30 days.

Adeyemi further indicated his willingness to provide security agencies with documents in his possession to aid their investigations into the controversy surrounding the body. He affirmed, “I am willing and ready to help security agencies or any panel set up by Mr President to unravel the truth.” He added, “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.” Adeyemi expressed confidence that the documents he holds would be crucial in assisting investigators to uncover the full circumstances of the council. “They should authenticate them. They should verify them. They should unravel the truth,” he urged.

During his interview, Adeyemi expressed confusion regarding how the council, which the Presidency insists is non-existent, managed to appear in the national budget. He stated, “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 also pointed out, “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.”

Regarding his earlier allegations against the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Adeyemi preferred an independent investigation over making further accusations. He clarified, “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 recounted an alleged attack by gunmen near Zuma Rock in September 2025 and reiterated that his involvement with the council stemmed from a genuine 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 explained.

As reported by PUNCH Online, the Presidency has consistently maintained that the Federal Government never established the PFIPC. President Tinubu’s directive mandates the ICPC to conclude its investigation and submit a report within 30 days. The President also tasked the ICPC with probing the allegedly forged appointment letters and official government documents reportedly used by Adeyemi to seek official recognition, diplomatic support (including visa facilitation), and to open multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using these allegedly forged documents.

This presidential directive follows weeks of sustained public pressure from civil society organisations, opposition politicians, and senior legal practitioners. They had demanded an independent inquiry into how the fictitious council managed to operate from the Federal Secretariat Complex, establish accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, receive an allocation of N1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, and engage with diplomatic missions—all seemingly without any enabling legislation or presidential instrument. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who represents Adeyemi, had previously questioned the inclusion of the body in the national budget, even if the appointment letter was forged, and called for the ICPC to investigate both Adeyemi and Gbajabiamila. The Presidency, however, has denied any link between Gbajabiamila and the scheme, citing police forensic analysis that confirmed the signature on the appointment letter was forged.