A fresh controversy has emerged within the presidency after Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi challenged a public disclaimer issued by the chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the existence of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The dispute follows a statement released by Gbajabiamila on June 11, in which he distanced the Presidency from the council and denied appointing Adeyemi as its head.
According to the Chief of Staff, the federal government has no agency or office known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
“It has come to the notice of the Federal Government of Nigeria and specifically the Office of the Chief of Staff to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, that a certain Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, under the auspices of an alleged organization styled as the ‘Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council’ is portraying himself to the general public as having been appointed by my office,” Gbajabiamila said.
He maintained that no such office exists under the current administration and urged foreign missions, development partners, financial institutions, and members of the public to disregard any claims linking the council to the presidency.
Responding at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Adeyemi dismissed the Chief of Staff's statement, insisting that official government records contradict the claim that the council does not exist.
According to him, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council operates accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has office accommodation within the Federal Secretariat, and received approval for more than 300 staff from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
Adeyemi argued that if those records are authentic, it would be difficult to reconcile them with the Presidency's position that the council has no legal or administrative existence.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to constitute an independent investigative panel to examine all government records relating to the council and determine its legal status.
Adding another dimension to the controversy, a review of the 2026 Appropriation Act shows that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council is listed under the Presidency.
The budget document allocates a total of ₦1.302 billion to the council.
The breakdown includes:
₦802.98 million for personnel costs.
₦200 million for overhead expenses.
₦300 million for capital projects.
The inclusion of the council in the 2026 budget has raised fresh questions about its official status and whether it operates as a recognized government entity.
The Presidency has yet to issue any further clarification following Adeyemi's latest claims.
With conflicting positions now emerging over the council's existence, attention is expected to focus on whether the Federal Government will initiate an investigation or provide additional explanations regarding the council's legal and administrative status.
