By Sandra Kenneth
Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the embattled Director General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, has broken his silence on why he established the now-defunct body, citing a “desperation to serve” rather than personal greed.
Speaking via a video call on Tuesday with social media critic Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, Matthew defended his actions and expressed confusion over how the agency was funded despite the Presidency disowning it.
Driven by Passion, Not Fraud
Matthew maintained that his primary objective was to enhance Nigeria’s global image, attract foreign direct investment, and support President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He dismissed claims that the project was a personal cash grab, explaining the rumored ₦400 million linked to the agency’s office space.
“I established that amount for the agency’s office out of passion for the country,” Matthew said. “I wanted to bring in foreign investors to Nigeria so that I can write my name in gold. I am just desperate to serve.”
He added that prior to the scandal, his team was actively partnering with various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to prepare for an upcoming global investment summit.
The Budget Allocation Mystery
The council sparked a national uproar after it was discovered as a beneficiary in the newly passed 2026 Appropriation Act, despite the Presidency firmly asserting that the agency is non-existent and unapproved.
Matthew claimed total ignorance of how the council’s financial allocation was inserted or defended in the national budget. He revealed that he was actually in custody when the budget defence took place before the National Assembly.
“This whole thing is confusing, especially when the Presidency said that the agency does not exist. How come? An agency that found its way into the national budget,” Matthew questioned. “I didn’t prepare any budget. In fact, I was in detention for 23 days when the budget for the Presidential Foreign Council was prepared and defended in the National Assembly between October and November.”
According to him, his initial detention followed an invitation by former Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to explain how he secured his appointment letter, which was purportedly facilitated through the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Ready to Cooperate with Security Agencies
While Matthew admitted he never met face-to-face with Gbajabiamila regarding the petition against him, he claimed they spoke via telephone through a late intermediary, Dolapo Tanimola. In a tragic twist, Matthew disclosed that Tanimola, who allegedly financed the establishment of the council, recently died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja.
Insisting that he possesses authentic documents validating the council’s creation, Matthew stated his readiness to hand over all evidence to the appropriate authorities.
“Any moment from now, I will go to the police and DSS to submit every document that I have to support the investigation,” he stated.
The development unfolds alongside an active independent probe by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), ordered by President Tinubu, to unravel how the phantom agency successfully bypassed federal vetting to secure a slot in the 2026 budget.
