-
PFIPC suspect claims he personally lobbied senior Budget Office officials to secure the inclusion of the controversial agency in the Federal Government’s budget, insisting the process began months before his arrest.
-
Adeniyi denies paying bribes to public officials, saying he only promised future employment opportunities if the agency eventually became operational.
-
The self-styled PFIPC Director-General insists he never met President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, despite allegations that $400 million was routed through an intermediary linked to his appointment.
-
He says he abandoned the budget push after his arrest and was shocked to later discover the agency had been captured in the national budget, raising fresh questions about how the controversial allocation was approved.
July 20 , (THEWILL) — The self-styled Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, has claimed he personally lobbied officials of the Budget Office of the Federation to secure a budgetary allocation for the controversial agency, insisting President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, played no role in its inclusion in the Federal Government’s budget.
Adeniyi made the claims during an interview with social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, in a recording released after his arrest over allegations surrounding the establishment of the purported government agency.
THEWILL reports that the PFIPC came under intense public scrutiny after the alleged non-existent agency surfaced in the Federal Government’s appropriation with a reported ₦1.3 billion allocation, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into the integrity of Nigeria’s budget preparation process.
According to Adeniyi, he first approached 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 been concluded.
He said officials subsequently advised him that the proposal would instead be considered during preparations for the 2026 budget.
“I went to the 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.
Alleged Access to Senior Officials
Adeniyi claimed that a female official helped him gain access to the office of the Director-General of the Budget Office before introducing him to another senior director.
According to him, the Director-General allegedly asked him, “Where is my shini?”—a slang expression commonly interpreted as a request for gratification.
He maintained that he told the official he had no money before being referred to another director, who allegedly informed him that the proposal could no longer be accommodated in the 2025 budget.
“They were trying for me that maybe they would include it, but unfortunately they said it could not be included in the 2025 budget. They said it would be for 2026,” he stated.
‘I Didn’t Pay Anybody’
Responding to allegations of bribery, Adeniyi denied giving money to any Budget Office official.
Instead, he admitted promising some officials employment opportunities if the agency eventually became operational.
“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 stressed that no cash exchanged hands during the process.
He added,
“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.”
Adeniyi said every effort to secure the agency’s inclusion came to an end after his arrest, adding that he was surprised when he later learnt that the agency had appeared in the Federal Government’s budget.
He recalled that even the official who had been assisting him tried to reach him after his legal troubles began, but he instructed her to discontinue the process.
“Immediately there was a problem, everything stopped. Even the woman who wanted to help was calling because she couldn’t reach me. I told her to let everything stop,” he said.
He insisted he never followed up on the proposal after his arrest.
He said,
“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 court?”
Asked whether Budget Office officials might have inserted the agency into the budget after his arrest, Adeniyi said he had no explanation.
“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 said.
Denies Meeting Gbajabiamila
On allegations that he paid ₦400 million to facilitate his appointment, Adeniyi claimed the money was delivered in United States dollars through his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola.
However, he said he could not confirm whether the money ultimately reached Gbajabiamila.
He also insisted that he never met the President’s Chief of Staff before or after assuming the controversial position.
“I never met Gbajabiamila physically before and after I was appointed. Dolapo Tanimola handled everything for me,” he said.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
