PFIPC Scandal: ‘I Was In Detention When The Budget Was Prepared’ – Adeyemi

The Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has questioned how the agency was included in the national budget despite the Presidency’s insistence that it does not exist.

Naija News reports that Adeyemi spoke during a conversation with social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.

He said he was in police detention during the period the budget was being prepared and, therefore, could not have participated in any budget defence before the National Assembly.

According to him, he was invited by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on October 27 in connection with a petition allegedly filed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, concerning the activities of the PFIPC.

Adeyemi said he honoured the police invitation and was interrogated about the agency, his appointment letter and those who allegedly facilitated his appointment.

He claimed he was detained for 23 days, from October 27 to November 19, before being charged in court on November 27.

According to Adeyemi, “You see, this whole thing is confusing, as in very confusing. When the presidency, through the chief of staff, said the agency does not exist, I wondered.

“How come the agency found its way to the national budget, that both the Senate, where we have so many experienced senators, 360 members of representatives, would detect that this is a fake agency, then transmitted to the president to sign.

“How come the chief of staff is not aware that the said agency is inside the budget? So that’s why I’m confused, and that gave me the audacity to come out to do a rebuttal of his disclaimer, like two weeks ago.”

Adeyemi insisted that neither he nor any representative of the PFIPC appeared before lawmakers to defend the agency’s budget.

The DG of PFIPC said, “I’m not the one. During the preparation for the budget, I was invited by the Nigerian Police Force. I was invited to come and respond to a petition from the Chief of Staff to the President, questioning my activity in the said agency.

“I honoured the invitation. So they asked me so many questions. How did the agency come to force? I gave them the appointment letter. Then they asked me who helped you to get the appointment letter. I gave them the number, the name, everything.

“I was in detention for a good 23 days. I was arrested and released on the 27th of October and on the 19th of November.

“I was in detention during the period for the preparation of the budget.

“I did not defend the budget, and nobody went for the defence. That’s why I am confused about how the budget that nobody defended still finds its way into the national budget.”

Office Allegedly Reallocated After Arrest

Adeyemi further claimed that by the time he regained his freedom, the office earlier used by the alleged agency had been reallocated to another government official.

He said he had not returned to the office since his arrest on October 27.

Adeyemi further stated, “By the time I came out of the detention, on 19 November, I was charged in court on 27th of November, and the said office space has been reallocated to another government official. So I’ve not been going to the office since the 27th of October. So that’s why I’m confused: how does the agency find its way to the national budget?”

Reacting to the Presidency’s position that the PFIPC never existed, Adeyemi said he would not accuse Gbajabiamila of lying but maintained that only an independent investigation could establish the truth.

“I wouldn’t say he is lying, and I wouldn’t say he’s telling the truth. That’s why I requested, if you see from my press conference, I said I pleaded with Mr President to set up an investigative panel to look into this whole issue and unravel the truth, so we know who is involved,” he said.

Adeyemi reiterated his readiness to submit all documents in his possession to the police or the Department of State Services (DSS) to assist investigators in verifying their authenticity.

He also alleged that he survived an attack by gunmen near Zuma Rock, close to Madala, in September 2025.