By Tekena Amieyeofori
The Budget Office of the Federation has clarified that the shadowy Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, was not established by the current administration. According to the office, the council traces back to a structure set up under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The clarification follows probing questions about how the PFIPC described by many as a “fake agency” was allocated ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 budget despite doubts about its legal standing.
In its statement, the Budget Office said, “PFIPC’s institutional origin was premised on the Presidential Economic Advisory Council inaugurated by President Buhari on October 9, 2019.”
It further stated that the body underwent restructuring afterward, and proposals concerning it went through normal administrative channels before being included in the budget.
The statement explicitly stated that “the Budget Office does not create ministries, departments or agencies,” noting that its role is limited to processing submissions from authorised bodies according to due process.
This position is in response to claims by the self-acclaimed Director-General of PFIPC, Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, that he was officially interfacing with the budget office.
The Presidency has since distanced itself from the PFIPC and rejected claims linking Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila to its activities. Gbajabiamila has also voluntarily appeared before the relevant authorities for questioning.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to investigate the matter. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is carrying out a separate inquiry into how the council was formed, funded, and given office space in the Federal Secretariat.