ABUJA — The Senate on Tuesday said it has not received any petition regarding the controversy surrounding the alleged existence of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and claims of a fake Director-General, distancing itself from the unfolding dispute.
Spokesperson of the Senate, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South), stated this while addressing journalists after plenary, noting that the Red Chamber has no basis to intervene in the matter.
“There is no petition before the Senate from any of the parties involved or concerned Nigerians to warrant legislative action or comment on the issue,” Adaramodu said.
The controversy, which has dominated public discourse in recent weeks, involves allegations and counter-allegations between the purported Director-General of PFIPC, Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, and the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
While the Chief of Staff has publicly disowned both the agency and its alleged head, Mathew has countered with claims that the Presidency was aware of the council’s existence. He further alleged that Gbajabiamila collected N400 million from him for the appointment and demanded 48 per cent of the N1.3 billion reportedly allocated to the agency in the 2026 budget.
Reacting to the claims, Adaramodu emphasized that the matter falls within the executive arm of government and should be resolved accordingly.
“The allegations and counter-allegations over a fake agency and Director-General are entirely within the executive and should be addressed there—specifically between the Office of the Chief of Staff and the individual making the claims,” he said.
He acknowledged reports that the controversial agency has a budgetary provision in the 2026 Appropriation Act but clarified that the National Assembly was not responsible for its creation.
“The budget line referred to was not created or inserted by the National Assembly. It is also not the responsibility of the Senate or the House of Representatives to conduct security checks on individuals appointed to head ministries, departments and agencies,” he added.
The Senate spokesman further noted that the issue is already before the courts, making it sub judice and restricting legislative involvement in line with parliamentary rules.
“If the individual in question were a presidential appointee requiring Senate confirmation, the matter might have had a direct link to the legislature,” Adaramodu explained. “However, if a formal petition is submitted to the Senate by any party or concerned citizen, it will be examined in accordance with legislative procedures.”
The PFIPC controversy continues to raise questions about oversight, transparency and due process within government institutions, even as the Senate maintains its position of non-involvement pending formal legislative trigger.
