The embattled Director-General of the disowned Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, has claimed that the N400m he allegedly paid to secure his appointment was borrowed and that his creditors have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the money.
Adeyemi made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, insisting that the funds were obtained through loans rather than from personal resources.
“I borrowed this money. In fact, those that I borrowed this money from have reported to the EFCC. I borrowed this money to pay for this appointment. They have written to the EFCC, asking me to refund their money.
“So, I’m not even here to pay the money back. I borrowed this money,” he said.
His latest revelation comes weeks after he accused the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of receiving N400m through a proxy to facilitate his appointment as head of the PFIPC, an agency the Presidency has declared non-existent.
Gbajabiamila has denied the allegation through his lawyers, describing it as false and threatening legal action against Adeyemi.
The self-acclaimed PFIPC boss described the government’s handling of the controversy as unfortunate, alleging that unnamed officials were attempting to portray him as the architect of an elaborate fraud.
“Imagine the government claiming I manoeuvre the whole system. It’s unfortunate,” he said.
Responding to reports that a United States lobbying firm was assisting him in seeking asylum, Adeyemi said he only learnt of the development through media reports.
“I read it the way you read it. Some people call me that they are looking for me,” he said.
He added that he had become largely disconnected from developments surrounding the controversy after his social media accounts were allegedly taken down.
“I just ignore it because they sponsor a lot of people to bring my social media handle down. So, I don’t really know much what is going on again. I just hear from family and friends,” he stated.
Adeyemi also dismissed claims that he was planning to flee Nigeria to evade investigation, insisting that he remained in the country.
“They pulled my social media handle down, and they still reported that I was about to run away out of Nigeria. I’m still in Nigeria. I’m not going anywhere,” he said.
The PFIPC controversy erupted after the Presidency, in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the President on June 11, disowned the council, stating that no such agency existed under the Tinubu administration and describing Adeyemi as an impostor.
Subsequently, the Presidency said police investigations uncovered alleged forged presidential appointment letters purportedly signed by Gbajabiamila and accused Adeyemi of operating a fictitious government agency.
It further alleged that he maintained 34 bank accounts, including nine opened in the names of non-existent government agencies.
Despite the Presidency’s position, Adeyemi has continued to insist that his appointment was genuine, arguing that he operated openly for nearly three years, held meetings with heads of ministries, departments and agencies, and engaged foreign delegations, including officials of the EFCC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(The Whistler)