PFIPC Scandal Exposed as Pure Scam by Presidency

The single sharpest fact in one or two punchy sentences. Who did what, where, when, and why it matters. Not a summary of everything — the one thing that makes someone stop scrolling. A reader who only reads this paragraph must understand what happened. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has confirmed that the PFIPC scandal is a pure scam. Ajayi revealed that the missing telephone number on a State House letterhead exposed the forged appointment letter used by Adeniyi Adeyemi to run a fake federal agency from the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja. Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man at the centre of the scandal, faces an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and impersonation. Adeyemi has been accused of using a forged appointment letter to operate inside government institutions. The Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) was disowned by the Presidency due to Adeyemi's fake appointment. The PFIPC was never an official agency of the government, contrary to Adeyemi's claims. Temitope Ajayi further explained that presidential appointments do not originate from the office of the Chief of Staff. Ajayi emphasized that the Chief of Staff's role is limited to conveying the President's approval to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who then issues the appointment letter to the successful candidate. So, procedurally, it is even wrong for anyone to go about brandishing a letter of appointment originating from the office of the Chief of Staff. Adeyemi has continued to insist his appointment was genuine, telling Channels Television in a phone interview that he was not evading the law and was prepared to face trial. The case is scheduled to continue on July 27, 2026. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has faulted the Presidency for lacking the constitutional power to exonerate any party, demanding an independent ICPC probe into both Gbajabiamila and Adeyemi, and an explanation for the N24bn budgeted for the non-existent agency.

'On the genuine State House letterhead, there is no contact telephone number. On the purported appointment letter, however, there is one,' Ajayi said.

The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation forwarded a November 2024 request by Adeyemi for office accommodation for the council to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for processing from recovered government properties. Adeyemi has separately accused the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding 48% of the council's take-off grant, an allegation Gbajabiamila denies, and claimed he paid N400m to secure his appointment, with a balance of N200m still being demanded. Investigators had earlier disclosed that Adeyemi operated 34 bank accounts linked to non-existent government bodies. The Presidency has maintained that the PFIPC has no official standing, and Adeyemi has been disowned as its director-general. The Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, had publicly disclaimed the PFIPC, stating that it had no official status. A key witness in the case died in a hotel fire five days before Adeyemi's arrest, but the cause of the fire is still unknown.

'The Chief of Staff does not make appointments. It is the President who makes appointments into agencies or extra-ministerial positions,' Ajayi said.

The case is ongoing, and Adeyemi will face trial on July 27, 2026. The PFIPC scandal has highlighted the need for greater scrutiny and accountability in government institutions. While the PFIPC was never an official agency, the fact that an individual was able to operate a fake agency from within the government's Federal Secretariat Complex raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of internal controls. The scandal has also led to questions about the role of the Chief of Staff and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in approving and processing presidential appointments. Adeyemi's allegations against the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, have been denied by the latter, who claims to have had no knowledge of the PFIPC or Adeyemi's appointment. The PFIPC scandal is a reminder of the importance of due diligence and transparency in government decision-making. Adeyemi's fake appointment and operation of a non-existent agency from within the government's Federal Secretariat Complex raise concerns about the ease with which individuals can exploit weaknesses in the system. The case is a stark reminder of the need for greater accountability and scrutiny in government institutions. Adeyemi's operation of a fake agency from within the government's Federal Secretariat Complex raises serious questions about the effectiveness of internal controls and the need for greater transparency and accountability in government decision-making.

The PFIPC scandal has been a major embarrassment for the government, and the case is ongoing. Adeyemi's fake appointment and operation of a non-existent agency from within the government's Federal Secretariat Complex raise serious questions about the effectiveness of internal controls and the need for greater transparency and accountability in government decision-making.