The embattled Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeyemi Matthew Adeniyi, has claimed that he personally lobbied officials of the Budget Office to facilitate the inclusion of 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 agency was controversially allocated about N1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite ongoing investigations into its authenticity.
During the interview, Adeniyi absolved the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of responsibility for the budgetary allocation, insisting that he had never met him physically.
According to him, he first approached the Budget Office in December 2024 to seek the agency’s inclusion in the 2025 budget but was informed that the appropriation process had already been concluded.
“I went to the Budget Office for the 2025 budget. I submitted the letter and everything that I wanted, but I was told it was already late,” he said.
Adeniyi claimed officials later advised him that the proposal would instead be considered for the 2026 budget.
“When the 2025 budget came out and I didn’t see this budget, those people that I went to then said it would now be for the 2026 budget. We kept in touch because they said it would be considered later,” he added.
He further alleged that a female official facilitated a meeting with the Director-General of the Budget Office, who subsequently referred him to another senior official.
“She helped me to see the oga. Oga now said, ‘Where is my shini?’ I said I don’t have any shini. He later asked me to meet one director,” he claimed.
According to Adeniyi, the director informed him that the proposal could not be accommodated in the 2025 budget but assured him efforts would continue ahead of the 2026 appropriation.
“They were trying for me that maybe they would include it, but unfortunately they said it could not be included in the 2025 budget. They said it would be for 2026,” he said.
Asked whether he paid any official to facilitate the process, Adeniyi denied offering money.
“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. I did not give anybody money. It was just a promise that if they had people, I could employ them,” he said.
He claimed his arrest brought the process to a halt and expressed surprise when he later learnt that the agency had eventually appeared in the 2026 budget.
“Immediately there was a problem, everything stopped. Even the woman that wanted to help was calling because she couldn’t reach me because she was scared. I told her to let everything stop.
“I didn’t even know until they said it was inside the budget. I had already left the office. Where would I still pursue the budget again when I was already facing court?” he said.
When asked whether Budget Office officials might have inserted the agency into the budget after his arrest, Adeniyi said he could not explain how it happened.
“I don’t know because once that problem started, everything stopped. Why would I still pursue the budget when I was already in trouble?” he said.
Adeniyi also addressed allegations that he paid N400 million to secure his purported appointment, claiming the money was delivered in United States dollars through his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola.
Asked who received the funds, he replied, “Dolapo.”
He, however, maintained that he never met Gbajabiamila in person.
“I never met Gbajabiamila physically before and after he was appointed. Dolapo Tanimola handled everything for me,” he said.
In the caption accompanying the interview, VeryDarkMan called for a comprehensive investigation into the Budget Office and other government institutions, arguing that Adeniyi should not be the only person held accountable if his allegations are substantiated.