Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has revealed that he was misled into meeting with the self-acclaimed Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, after receiving what appeared to be an official letter from the Presidency.
Speaking during Wednesday’s plenary while supporting a motion calling for an investigation into the activities of the alleged council, Kalu admitted that he, like many others, was deceived by the group’s apparent legitimacy.
According to the Deputy Speaker, his office received a letter dated May 2, 2025, bearing the Presidency’s official insignia and signed by Adeyemi, who described himself as the Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Kalu said the letter appeared authentic, listing an office address at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja and the government website, pfipc.gov.ng, although some aspects raised suspicion.
To verify the claims, he directed members of his staff to confirm the office’s existence. After they reported that the organisation operated from the stated address, he approved the meeting.
The visitors had requested discussions on constitutional amendment, economic governance, legislative priorities and collaboration to attract foreign investment. However, Kalu said the meeting quickly departed from those issues.
“They never discussed the constitutional amendment or the issues contained in their letter. Instead, they appeared more interested in taking photographs,” he said.
Reflecting on the incident, Kalu warned that official-looking documents and government office addresses could no longer be taken as proof of legitimacy.
“This experience shows that a letter bearing the Presidency’s letterhead is no longer enough to confirm that an agency is genuine. Even operating from the Federal Secretariat does not automatically make an organisation legal,” he said.
He urged lawmakers to support the motion and launch a comprehensive investigation into how the alleged council operated, stressing that the House has a constitutional responsibility to uphold transparency and accountability in governance.
