Man Accused of Running ‘Fake’ Agency Confused by Presidency’s Denial

Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), recently shed light on his motivations for establishing the controversial body. Matthew, who is currently facing charges related to the agency, asserted that his primary goal was to draw foreign investors to Nigeria and lend support to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, rather than to pursue personal enrichment.

His explanations came during a video call on Wednesday, July 8, with social critic Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan. Matthew passionately stated, "I established that amount (rumoured N400 million) for the agency’s office out of passion for the country. I wanted to bring in foreign investors to Nigeria so that I can write my name in gold. I am just desperate to serve. That’s the reason I paid the money. I just want to do my part for the country."

He further elaborated that the PFIPC was created specifically "to bring in foreign investments to Nigeria and make Nigeria a preferred destination for foreign investors." Matthew also claimed to collaborate with various inter-ministerial agencies, MDAs, and even the EFCC to achieve Nigeria's investment goals, reiterating, "So, it’s not about personal interest. Before this whole brouhaha, we were expecting the world to be in Nigeria through our forthcoming global summit."

Matthew expressed significant bewilderment regarding the Presidency's stance that the council does not exist, especially considering its apparent inclusion in the national budget. "This whole thing is confusing especially when the Presidency said that the agency does not exist. How come? The agency that found its way into the national budget," he questioned.

He clarified that he had no involvement in preparing or defending any budget. In fact, Matthew stated he was in detention for 23 days between October and November when the budget for the Presidential Foreign Council was reportedly prepared and defended in the National Assembly. He recounted being invited by former Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to explain how he obtained an appointment letter for the agency, which he claimed came via the Chief of Staff to the President. After providing the facilitator's name and number, he was subsequently detained.

"How come the budget that nobody defended still found its way into the national budget?" Matthew pondered. He added that upon his release on November 19, 2025, he was formally charged in court and informed that his allocated office space had been reassigned to another government official, preventing him from accessing it since October 27.

Addressing a petition filed against him by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Matthew admitted to speaking with him via telephone, a conversation facilitated by his now-deceased friend, Dolapo Tanimola. However, he maintained he never met Gbajabiamila in person concerning the agency's affairs. Matthew affirmed he possesses documents to substantiate the agency's establishment and intends to present them to the police and DSS for ongoing investigations. Tragically, his friend Tanimola, who reportedly financed the agency's setup, perished in a hotel fire accident in Utako, Abuja.