Convener of disowned presidential council met diplomats, top government officials before presidency’s disclaimer

According to TheCable, Adeniyi Adeyemi, the convener of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), held several meetings with diplomats and senior government officials before the Presidency publicly disowned the council and described it as fictitious.

The online newspaper reported that Adeyemi met with high-ranking government officials and foreign diplomats between the middle and latter part of 2025, participating in official engagements and photo sessions before the Presidency issued a disclaimer on June 11, 2026.

TheCable said the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, had declared that Adeyemi’s claimed appointment as head of the council was fraudulent because no such agency existed.

It further reported that the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, reinforced the disclaimer in a July 1 statement, alleging that forged appointment letters bearing Gbajabiamila’s signature, reference numbers and official seals were used to give legitimacy to the fictitious agency.

According to the report, security agencies were alerted in October 2025 following complaints that the purported council was operating alongside the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).

TheCable reported that police arrested Adeyemi in Abuja on October 27, 2025, and allegedly recovered forged documents from his office and residence. Investigators also claimed to have uncovered 34 bank accounts linked to him, including nine allegedly opened in the names of fictitious agencies.

The publication noted that despite the Presidency’s position, Adeyemi held meetings with several top officials, including Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, Ministers of State Suwaiba Ahmad and Yusuf Sununu, as well as officials of the Royal Thai Embassy.

According to TheCable, Adeyemi had defended the council’s legitimacy by questioning why the body appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

The newspaper said its review of the 2026 budget showed that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was listed under the Presidency with a total allocation of N1.302 billion, comprising personnel, overhead and capital expenditures.

The development comes amid growing scrutiny over the existence of the council and the circumstances surrounding its operations.