‘My Ordeal Began After I Refused’ – ‘Fake’ PFIPC Boss Alleges Gbajabiamila Demanded ₦12.5bn

The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) took a fresh turn on Sunday after its embattled promoter, Adeniyi Adeyemi, alleged that his troubles began when he refused a ₦12.5 billion demand allegedly made by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Adeyemi made the allegation in a video circulating on social media, claiming that the disagreement with the Presidency escalated after he declined to release the money.

The claim comes amid an ongoing legal battle over the status of the PFIPC, which the Presidency has repeatedly described as a non-existent agency.

“The crisis started when I refused his ₦12.5 billion demand,” Adeyemi said in the video.

The latest allegation adds another layer to the controversy that has dominated public discourse in recent weeks following the Federal Government’s insistence that the PFIPC was never created by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The Presidency had, through a disclaimer issued by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila on June 11, maintained that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the PFIPC was not an agency of government. It also warned diplomatic missions, financial institutions and development partners against recognising either Adeyemi or the organisation.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga subsequently disclosed that complaints about the organisation first reached the Presidency in October 2025 after concerns were raised that another body was operating alongside the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.

He added that investigations allegedly uncovered forged appointment letters bearing the Chief of Staff’s signature and official seals.

The Nigeria Police thereafter filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi before the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing him of conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and the alleged creation of fraudulent presidential documents. The matter has been adjourned until July 27, 2026.

However, Adeyemi has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting that the PFIPC was a genuine government initiative known to senior officials.

He had earlier alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the council’s take-off grant, valued at about ₦27.4 billion, claiming that ₦400 million was paid through intermediaries while an additional ₦200 million was later demanded. The Presidency has denied the allegations, and they have not been established in court.

Meanwhile, another dimension of the controversy emerged after documents circulating in the public domain reportedly showed that an entity described as the “Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation of about ₦1.303 billion.

The reported budgetary provision has fuelled questions from opposition figures, lawyers and civil society organisations, who have demanded explanations on how an agency the Presidency describes as fictitious allegedly appeared in the national budget.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not publicly responded to Adeyemi’s latest allegation that his ordeal began after he allegedly refused a ₦12.5 billion demand.

The allegations by Adeyemi remain unproven, while the criminal charges against him are yet to be determined by the court.