Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, embattled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), insists that he bought the job by paying bribe to Femi Gbajabiala, Chief of staff to President Tinubu. Adeyemi claims that the N400m he paid to secure his appointment was borrowed and that his creditors have already petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the money. Adeyemi made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “I borrowed this money to pay for this appointment, he insisted, adding, "In fact, those that I borrowed the money from have reported to the EFCC. They have written to the EFCC, asking me to refund their money. I’m not even yet to pay the money back. I borrowed this money,” he said. His latest revelations come weeks after he accused Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu's Chief of Staff, of receiving N400m through a proxy to facilitate his appointment as head of the PFIPC, an agency the Presidency has declared non-existent. Gbajabiamila has denied the allegation through his lawyers, describing it as false and threatening legal action against Adeyemi. The self-acclaimed PFIPC boss has described government’s handling of the controversy as unfortunate, alleging that unnamed officials were attempting to portray him as the architect of an elaborate fraud. “Imagine the government claiming that I manoeuvred the whole system. It’s unfortunate,” he said. Responding to reports that a United States lobbying firm has offered to assist him in seeking asylum, Adeyemi said he only learnt of the development through media reports. “Some people called me that they are looking for me,” he said, adding that he has become largely disconnected from developments surrounding the controversy after his social media accounts were allegedly taken down. “I just ignored it because they sponsor a lot of people to bring my social media handles down. So, I don’t really know much what is going on again. I just hear from family and friends,” he stated. Adeyemi dismissed claims that he was planning to flee Nigeria to evade investigation, insisting that he is still in the country. “They pulled my social media handles down, and they still reported that I was about to run out of Nigeria. I’m still in Nigeria and I’m not going anywhere,” he said. Controversy about the the PFIPC erupted after the Presidency, in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the President on June 11, disowned the council, stating that no such agency existed under the Tinubu administration and describing Adeyemi as an impostor. Subsequently, the Presidency said police investigations uncovered alleged forged presidential appointment letters purportedly signed by Gbajabiamila and accused Adeyemi of operating a fictitious government agency. It further alleged that he maintained 34 bank accounts, including nine opened in the names of non-existent government agencies. Despite the Presidency’s position, Adeyemi insisted that his appointment was genuine, arguing that he operated openly for nearly three years, held meetings with heads of ministries, departments and agencies, and engaged foreign delegations, including officials of the EFCC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The US lobby group has warned the federal government against anything happening to Adeyemi, claiming that he is presently a person of interest to the US government and that any harm to him shall elevate the matter to international dimensions. ... tells Tinubu, "I won’t surrender without independent probe." Meanwhile, Adeyemi continues to spread panic in the Presidency after insisting that he will not go down alone and swearing that he will not surrender to authorities unless an independent panel is constituted by President Tinubu to investigate the alleged ghost agency. In an open letter published yesterday, Adeyemi said he welcomed Tinubu’s directive ordering the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the PFIPC scandal and the alleged N1.3bn insertion into the 2026 Appropriation Bill, but worried that the current arrangement could not guarantee an impartial investigation. “I write to you, not as a fugitive evading accountability, but as a Nigerian citizen who maintains an unwavering belief in equity, justice, and the rule of law,” the letter said, describing the presidential directive as “a vital first step,” but adding, “the structural realities of this investigation compel me to speak out of a profound desire for absolute transparency.” According to Adeyemi, “Under the current framework, obtaining a truly impartial hearing presents severe structural challenges. The public narrative emanating from official channels remains heavily weighted toward my immediate arrest, effectively overshadowing the gravity of the systemic vulnerabilities and high-level involvement I have brought to light. True accountability cannot be achieved when the agency conducting the investigation answers directly to the branch of government within which the core allegations lie.” Adeyemi claimed that surrendering under the present circumstances would endanger his life. “Furthermore, I must state clearly that walking freely into custody under the current arrangement poses an immediate, existential threat to my life. I have received verified, highly reliable intelligence indicating that I am targeted for elimination the moment I surface in an unmonitored environment,” he stated. He recalled the death of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as “a central intermediary in this matter.” According to him, “Official reports claim Mr. Tanimola tragically died in a sudden fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Utako, Abuja. Yet, there remains a total absence of independent eye witnesses or media verification of any such inferno.” Adeyemi noted, “Under highly unclear circumstances and without the official involvement of any federal capital regulatory agency, the entire Kachi Hotel structure was swiftly invaded by unidentified armed actors and manually demolished down to rubble days later, effectively erasing a vital physical crime scene and erasing material evidence.” Adeyemi also claimed that multiple attempts had also been made on his life and his family, which forced him into hiding and urged President Tinubu to set up an independent, multi-stakeholder investigative panel comprising civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association, independent media representatives, international financial observers, diplomatic observers, human rights organisations, as well as the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). “The moment this independent, multi-stakeholder panel is constituted, I will immediately step forward to present comprehensive documentation and verifiable evidences,” he said. “A system cannot credibly investigate itself when its own key actors are central to the discourse. By broadening this panel, you will demonstrate to the world that your administration’s commitment to anti-corruption is absolute, institutional, and above palace politics. The international community is closely watching how Nigeria handles this test of fiscal integrity and governance. I remain fully prepared to present the facts and cooperate entirely with a balanced, secure, and independent panel.”

Posted: 4weeks ago

Author: Editor in Chief

Current date: 14 August 2026