The embattled Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, has claimed he personally lobbied officials at the Budget Office to include the controversial agency in the 2026 Federal Government budget.
Adeniyi made the claims during an interview with social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, in an Instagram video released on Sunday following his arrest.
The alleged fake agency was controversially allocated approximately ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite ongoing criminal investigations into its authenticity.
How Adeniyi Adeyemi lobbied the Budget Office
During the interview, Adeniyi absolved the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of any involvement in the budgetary allocation, insisting the two had never met. Instead, Adeniyi detailed a timeline of backroom lobbying within the Budget Office.
He claimed he first approached the office in December 2024 seeking inclusion in the 2025 budget but was told the appropriation window 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,” Adeniyi said, adding that officials advised him the proposal would be pushed to the 2026 cycle. “We kept in touch because they said it would be considered later.”
Adeniyi Adeyemi further alleged that a female official facilitated his access to the Director-General of the Budget Office, who then referred him to a senior director.
“She helped me to see the oga. Oga now said, ‘Where is my shini [bribe]?’ I said I don’t have any shini. He later asked me to meet one director,” Adeniyi claimed.
Job slots instead of cash bribes
When asked if financial inducements were exchanged to secure the ₦1.3 billion slot, Adeniyi denied giving out cash. He admitted, however, to promising lucrative kickbacks in the form of employment opportunities.
“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. That was the favour I promised them.”
Adeniyi expressed surprise that the agency ultimately appeared in the 2026 budget, claiming that his arrest had halted his operations.
“Immediately there was a problem, everything stopped,” he stated. “I didn’t even know until they said it was inside the budget. I had already left the office. Why would I still pursue the budget when I was already facing court?”
Allegations of a ₦400m appointment fee
Despite denying bribing budget officials, Adeniyi alleged that he paid the equivalent of ₦400 million in US dollars to secure his fraudulent appointment letter. He claimed the transaction was handled entirely by his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola.
When asked who received the funds, Adeniyi simply responded, “Dolapo.” He reiterated that he never dealt with the Chief of Staff directly, stating, “Dolapo Tanimola handled everything for me.”
Background of the scandal
Prior reports indicate that Adeniyi Adeyemi allegedly operated the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council from a hijacked office inside the Federal Secretariat in Abuja using forged documents. The appointment letter he held was falsely attributed to the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
Security agencies subsequently arrested Adeniyi, charging him with forgery and impersonation. The Presidency has consistently distanced itself from the council, labelling Adeniyi an impostor.
The latest claims made in the viral video interview have not been independently verified by institutional authorities.
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