PFIPC: Pro-Atiku US lobbying firm offers asylum support to embattled DG, Adeyemi

The controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an organisation the Presidency has described as fictitious, has taken an international turn after a United States-based lobbying firm, hired by opposition leader Atiku Abubakar, offered to assist its embattled convener, Adeniyi Adeyemi, in seeking asylum and whistleblower protection.

The development comes as the Federal Government intensifies investigations into the scandal, which has already sparked questions about governance, public accountability, budget oversight and Nigeria’s investment promotion architecture.

Von Batten-Montague-York, LC, a Washington-based lobbying and advocacy firm, said it was prepared to support Adeyemi as he continues to challenge the Presidency’s position that the PFIPC never existed.

Karl Von Batten, founder of the firm, announced the offer in a series of posts on X over the weekend, arguing that the allegations surrounding the PFIPC warrant the attention of United States authorities because World Bank-supported funds form part of Nigeria’s public finances. The World Bank’s largest shareholder is the United States.

“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,” Von Batten wrote.

The lobbyist said he had spoken directly with Adeyemi and found him “sincere and credible.”

He added that members of US President Donald Trump’s political network had already been briefed on the matter and that his team would begin engaging members of the US Congress this week.

The PFIPC controversy has become one of the most debated political scandals in recent weeks after the Presidency publicly disowned the council and described it as a non-existent agency.

Despite the Presidency’s position, official records have shown that the organisation appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budget allocation of N1.3 billion under the Presidency.

Documents obtained by journalists have also revealed that government institutions processed correspondence from the council before it was publicly disowned.

For nearly two years, Adeyemi operated publicly as director-general of the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), attending official functions, engaging diplomats and interacting with senior government officials.

The controversy deepened after Adeyemi questioned the Presidency’s claim that the organisation never existed.

He argued that if the agency was fictitious, government officials should explain how it appeared in the national budget, maintained an office within the Federal Secretariat complex and carried out official engagements with public institutions.

Adeyemi has also made a series of allegations against Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu.

Among other claims, he alleged that Gbajabiamila appointed him as Director-General of the PFIPC, received N400 million through a proxy and demanded an additional N200 million to facilitate his appointment.

He further called for an investigation into the death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as an intermediary in his dealings with government officials, and claimed there had been attempts on his life.

Gbajabiamila has strongly denied the allegations. Last week, the chief of staff threatened a N10 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi and demanded a public retraction and apology.

Through his lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, Gbajabiamila described the allegations as “false, malicious, reckless and entirely without factual foundation.”

The Presidency has consistently maintained that Adeyemi was never appointed to any government position and that the PFIPC has no legal existence under the Tinubu administration.

Meanwhile, Von Batten escalated the matter further by warning that any harm to Adeyemi or members of his family while he remains willing to cooperate with US authorities would attract international scrutiny.

The lobbyist said President Bola Tinubu would be held responsible if such an incident occurred, a claim that is likely to further intensify political tensions surrounding the controversy.

The international intervention comes as President Tinubu has already directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegations and submit its findings within 30 days.

Analysts say the entry of a foreign lobbying firm into the controversy could increase international attention on a scandal that has already generated concerns about public accountability and institutional credibility.

The development may also amplify scrutiny of Nigeria’s governance environment at a time when the government is seeking to sustain a recent rebound in foreign direct investment and strengthen investor confidence.

Von Batten’s involvement is notable given the firm’s recent engagement by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

In April, Atiku retained Von Batten-Montague-York to protect and strengthen his reputation in the United States amid political developments ahead of the 2027 elections.

With the PFIPC saga now drawing the attention of foreign lobbyists, US policymakers and anti-corruption advocates, what began as a domestic dispute over an alleged fictitious agency is increasingly assuming international dimensions, potentially widening the political and diplomatic implications of the controversy.