Budget Office traces ‘fake’ PFIPC to Buhari govt

The Budget Office of the Federation has explained that the phantom PFIPC’s institutional origin traced back to a Presidential Economic Advisory Council inaugurated under President Buhari in 2019, and that its N802.9 million personnel allocation was never disbursed due to the absence of Financial Clearance.

The Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) yesterday explained that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), which the Presidency declared fake and which is currently being investigated by the ICPC, had its origin in the last administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari.

Vanguard reports that the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr Tanimu Yakubu, provided the explanation after appearing before the House of Representatives, stating that the PFIPC’s institutional origin was premised on the Presidential Economic Advisory Council inaugurated by Buhari on October 9, 2019.

“The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had assigned an administrative code to the PFIPC. The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had approved an authorised establishment and a recruitment waiver,” he said, stressing that the Budget Office neither created the Council nor assigned its code, but merely measured its fiscal effect.

Yakubu explained that the Council submitted a personnel estimate of N3.850 billion for 2026, which the Budget Office disregarded in favour of an independent calculation of N802,978,783, based on the authorised establishment and applicable salary structure.

He said the Council never received the approved funds because its promoter, Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, could not secure Financial Clearance, noting that the 2026 Appropriation Bill only became law on March 31, 2026, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had not confirmed compliance with staffing templates.

“No Financial Clearance was issued. No recruitment took place. No payroll record was created… Not one kobo of the personnel provision could lawfully have been drawn. Not one kobo was drawn,” he said.

The PFIPC controversy became public on June 11, 2026, when Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila declared the Council fake. Adeyemi has since alleged Gbajabiamila received N400 million through a proxy and demanded N200 million more — claims Gbajabiamila denies, having sued Adeyemi for N15 billion in damages. Adeyemi remains in custody over the scandal and alleged forgery.