Presidential Council scandal: US lobbying firm offers to help ‘fake’ DG Adeyemi seek asylum

A United States lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has said it is prepared to assist the embattled Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, in seeking asylum in the United States while also urging American authorities to investigate allegations he has made against senior Nigerian government officials. Demographics

The development follows a series of posts published over the weekend and today by Dr. Von Batten, who said his team had been in contact with Adeyemi and was taking steps to brief members of the US Congress and other agencies on the allegations, reports The PUNCH.

In a post shared on Saturday via X, Von Batten said the firm was prepared to help Adeyemi seek asylum in the United States and obtain whistleblower protection.

“To anyone in contact with Mr. Adeyemi, we are very interested in speaking with him. We are prepared to assist Mr. Adeyemi in seeking asylum in the United States and requesting whistleblower protection,” he wrote.

He added that because the United States is the largest shareholder in the World Bank, any credible allegations involving World Bank-funded projects in Nigeria would be of interest to American authorities.

“Because @WorldBankGroup funds reportedly form part of Nigeria’s national budget, and the United States is the World Bank’s largest shareholder, any credible allegations involving those funds would be of significant interest to U.S. authorities,” he stated. Demographics

Von Batten also warned that if any harm came to Adeyemi, his team would demand a full investigation and accountability.

In another post today, Von Batten said he had spoken directly with Adeyemi and considered him “sincere and credible,” adding that the allegations deserved investigation by multiple US institutions.

“This is Dr. Von Batten. I just spoke with Mr. Adeyemi. I found him to be sincere and credible. Based on our discussion, I believe his allegations warrant an investigation by Congress, @StateDept, @USTreasury, @USGAO, and other relevant U.S. agencies due to the alleged misappropriation of U.S.-funded World Bank loans by senior members of the Nigerian government,” he wrote.

He further claimed that he had already briefed senior members of US President Donald Trump’s team over the weekend and that congressional briefings would begin this week.

“This past weekend, I briefed senior members of President @realDonaldTrump’s team on these allegations, and our team will begin briefing Members of Congress this week,” he said. ExecutiveBranch

According to Von Batten, Adeyemi alleged that he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to head a Nigerian presidential agency, was provided office accommodation within government premises, had bank accounts opened for the agency through the Central Bank of Nigeria, and that the agency received funding through Nigeria’s national budget, including financing allegedly supported by the World Bank.

Von Batten also claimed that Adeyemi alleged Gbajabiamila demanded 45 per cent of the agency’s budget and that after he refused, he became the target of retaliation while the agency was later labelled fraudulent.

He added that Adeyemi informed him that he and members of his family had received threats and were currently in hiding over safety concerns.

Von Batten further warned that if any harm came to Adeyemi while he was preparing to cooperate with US officials, Tinubu would be held responsible.

It was earlier reported that the Nigeria Police Force is set to arraign Adeyemi before the Federal High Court, Abuja, tomorrow over alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences. Demographics

In a fresh charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, the police charged Adeyemi and two others with eight counts bordering on forgery, impersonation and related offences.

The police alleged that Adeyemi operated the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council from the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja before his arrest.

Tinubu had earlier directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the activities of the purported agency within 30 days.

Court documents listed the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, among the prosecution witnesses expected to testify during the trial. ExecutiveBranch

The PFIPC controversy has also sparked calls by opposition parties and political figures for an independent investigation into how the agency secured a ₦1.302bn allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite the Presidency maintaining that it never existed.

While the Senate declined to commence a separate probe pending the outcome of the ICPC investigation, opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress, Labour Party and Nigeria Democratic Congress, have insisted that the National Assembly must investigate the budgetary allocation and the circumstances surrounding the agency.