Documents Expose How Disputed Presidential Council Secured Approval to Recruit 300 Staff

Documents Expose How Disputed Presidential Council Secured Approval to Recruit 300 Staff

Fresh documents have revealed that the Federal Government (FG) approved the recruitment of 300 personnel for the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in August 2025, despite the Presidency later declaring that the council was not officially recognised under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The revelation has raised fresh concerns over the council’s legal status, the recruitment process, budgetary allocations and the level of official approval it received before being publicly disowned by the Presidency.

A letter dated August 7, 2025, issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), granted the PFIPC a waiver to recruit staff despite the Federal Government’s existing embargo on general recruitment into the federal civil service.

The approval, signed by the Director of Organisation Design and Development, Mimi Abu, was also copied to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and stated that the waiver was based on the council’s 2025 Approved Establishment.

Under the approval, the council received permission to recruit 10 directors on Grade Level (GL) 17, 20 assistant directors on GL15 and 44 administrative officers across different grade levels.

The waiver also covered the recruitment of 45 planning officers, 32 commercial officers, 22 investment promotion officers, 26 accountants, 13 procurement officers, 12 information officers, 11 programme analysts, 10 legal officers, 10 motor drivers/mechanics, nine executive officers (Accounts), nine executive officers (General Duties), seven data processing assistants, six statisticians, six technical officers in engineering disciplines, five data processing officers and three confidential secretaries.

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In the approval letter, the Head of Service’s office directed the council to obtain clearance from the Budget Office of the Federation before commencing recruitment, comply with the Federal Character Principle and reserve five per cent of available positions for persons living with disabilities.

The letter also warned the council not to exceed the approved number of recruits and instructed that officials of the Head of Service’s office should supervise the recruitment exercise to ensure compliance with the waiver.

Just one day after receiving the approval, PFIPC Director-General Adeniyi Adeyemi publicly thanked President Tinubu in a social media post, claiming the administration had approved the recruitment.

“Mr President, we are growing because you believe in us,” Adeyemi wrote.

He also announced plans to establish PFIPC offices in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), alongside 127 international offices, which he said would promote Nigerian businesses and attract foreign direct investment.

However, the council’s activities came under intense scrutiny on June 11, 2026, when Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, issued an official statement distancing the Presidency from the PFIPC.

Gbajabiamila stated that the council was not recognised by the Federal Government and had no legal authority to operate on behalf of President Tinubu’s administration.

The Presidency’s disclaimer triggered widespread questions about how the council secured official recruitment approval, operated from a government office and appeared in the federal budget despite its disputed status.

The controversy deepened further after reports indicated that the PFIPC was allocated approximately ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, including ₦802.98 million for personnel costs, ₦200 million for overhead expenditure and ₦300 million for capital projects.

Reports also showed that Adeyemi had been operating from an office within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, where he hosted diplomats, government officials and foreign investors while organising several official engagements under the council’s name.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force has filed an eight-count criminal charge against Adeyemi over allegations including impersonation, forgery and related offences.

Reacting to the Presidency’s position, Adeyemi rejected claims that the PFIPC lacked official recognition and called on President Tinubu to establish an independent panel to investigate the dispute.

He further alleged that the controversy began after he refused to surrender 48 per cent of the council’s take-off grant to unnamed individuals.

Adeyemi also claimed he paid ₦400 million to secure his appointment as Director-General and still had an outstanding balance of ₦200 million.

The Presidency has not publicly responded to those allegations, which remain unverified.

The emergence of the recruitment approval documents has intensified calls for a thorough investigation into the PFIPC, particularly regarding its legal status, recruitment process, budgetary allocation and the circumstances under which it obtained official approvals before later being disowned by the Presidency.

The matter is expected to remain under public and legal scrutiny as criminal proceedings against Adeyemi continue and lawmakers sustain oversight of federal agencies and public expenditure.

Documents Expose How Disputed Presidential Council Secured Approval to Recruit 300 Staff