PFIPC scandal : How fake agency got smuggled into budget – Adeniyi

The Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeyemi Matthew Adeniyi, has revealed how the fake organisation was captured in the Federal Government’s budget despite his arrest before the appropriation process was concluded.

Adeniyi made the claims during an interview with social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, in a recording released shortly after his arrest.

He said the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has no hand in the N1.3 billion budgetary allocation, adding that he personally approached top Budget Office officials for the agency’s inclusion.

He noted that the process was not completed before his arrest, saying he was surprised to later discover that the proposed agency had appeared in the budget.

He said he visited the Budget Office in December 2024 to seek the inclusion of the agency in the 2025 Appropriation Bill but was informed that the budget process had already closed.

“I went to that Budget Office for the 2025 budget. I submitted the letter and everything that I wanted, but I was told it was already late.

“When the 2025 budget came out and I didn’t see it, they told me it would now be for the 2026 budget. We kept in touch because they said it would be considered later,” he said.

He claimed a female official helped him gain access to the office of the Director-General of the Budget Office before he was referred to another director.

“She helped me to see the oga. Oga now said, ‘Where is my shini?’ I said I don’t have any shini. He later asked me to meet one director,” he said.

He said the director informed him that the proposal could no longer be accommodated in the 2025 budget but assured him efforts would continue towards the 2026 appropriation.

“They tried for me, but unfortunately, they said it could not be included in the 2025 budget. They said it would be for 2026,” he stated.

Asked whether he paid any Budget Office official, Adeniyi said he only promised officials some favours on execution of the deal.

“Honestly, I did not pay any money. I didn’t pay anybody. The only thing I promised was that if I started employing people, I could help them with employment opportunities,” he said.

He admitted promising future favours to some officials but insisted no cash exchanged hands during his interactions at the Budget Office.

“That was the favour I promised them. I did not give anybody money. It was just a promise that if they had people, I could employ them later,” he said.

According to Adeniyi, the process ended immediately after his arrest because his legal troubles overtook every other plan.

“Immediately there was a problem, everything stopped. Even the woman that wanted to help was calling because she couldn’t reach me. I told her to let everything stop,” he said.

He maintained that he abandoned every effort concerning the agency after his arrest and was shocked when he later learnt it had appeared in the budget.

“I didn’t even know until they said it was inside the budget. I had already left the office. Where would I still pursue the budget when I was already facing the court?” he asked.

When the interviewer suggested officials might have inserted the agency into the budget after his arrest, Adeniyi said he could not explain how it happened.

“I don’t know because once that problem started, everything stopped. Why would I still pursue the budget when I was already in trouble?” he asked.

On allegations that he paid N400 million to facilitate his appointment, he claimed the money was delivered in United States dollars through his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola and that he was not sure if it was delivered to Gbajabiamila.

Asked the denomination of the money, he replied, “Dollars.” Asked who received it, he answered, “Dolapo.”

Adeniyi also denied ever meeting Gbajabiamila, despite alleging that money was sent through Tanimola.

The interviewer suggested that Adeniyi handled the process himself by approaching Budget Office officials directly and that Gbajabiamila appeared unaware of his activities.

He responded by saying, “Yes, I can tell you,” affirming that he personally pursued the process without any direct involvement of the Chief of Staff.

Speaking further during the interview released on Tuesday, he declared that he never met Gbajabiamila physically before or after his appointment.

He said Tanimola acted as the intermediary throughout the process and facilitated the alleged N400 million payment made in dollars.

“I never met Gbajabiamila physically before and after he was appointed. Dolapo Tanimola handled everything for me,” Adeniyi said.