PFIPC Controversy Deepens as National Assembly Letters to Alleged ‘Ghost Agency’ Surface

The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken a fresh turn following the emergence of two documents purportedly showing official correspondence from both chambers of the National Assembly to the agency’s Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.

The letters, whose authenticity has not been independently verified, appear to indicate official communication between the National Assembly and the council, despite claims by the Presidency that the agency was not legally constituted.

One of the letters, reportedly issued by the Senate and dated September 2, 2025, invited the PFIPC Director-General to nominate participants for a high-level study exchange programme on anti-corruption policy and institutional reforms in London, United Kingdom.

A second letter, dated September 3, 2025, was reportedly issued by the House of Representatives Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements, inviting the agency to participate in an executive exchange programme in Casablanca, Morocco.

According to the document, the programme was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in treaty negotiation, domestication and compliance.

The emergence of the letters comes amid a growing dispute over the existence and operations of the PFIPC.

The Presidency, through an earlier statement, alleged that Prince Adeniyi created the agency without legal backing, falsely presented himself as its Director-General, secured office space at the Federal Secretariat, opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria and facilitated the inclusion of over ₦1.3 billion for the agency in the 2026 federal budget.

The controversy has been further fuelled by videos circulating online showing Adeyemi at official engagements with diplomats, senior government officials and lawmakers, including Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, as well as representing Nigeria at international events.

The matter escalated after the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, on June 11, 2026, publicly distanced his office from the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC).

In response, Adeyemi rejected the allegations, insisting that his appointment and activities were known to the Chief of Staff.

He further alleged that his relationship with Gbajabiamila deteriorated after he refused an alleged request for 48 per cent of the agency’s proposed ₦27 billion take-off grant. He also claimed that about ₦400 million had been paid through intermediaries to facilitate his appointment, with an outstanding balance of ₦200 million.

Adeyemi has also called for an investigation into the death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as an intermediary between himself and the Chief of Staff. According to him, Tanimola died in a fire incident at a hotel in Utako, Abuja, in October 2025.

The Presidency has denied the allegations against Gbajabiamila and maintains that the PFIPC was not a legally established government agency.

Questions have also continued to trail how the council allegedly secured a budgetary allocation, obtained office accommodation within the Federal Secretariat, opened a Treasury Single Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria and reportedly recruited hundreds of workers.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the National Assembly nor the relevant government agencies had issued an official response regarding the purported letters or the fresh allegations.

The authenticity of the documents and the claims made by all parties remain unverified, while investigations into the controversy are ongoing.