The Presidency has dismissed claims by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew that he was appointed to head a Presidential Economic Advisory Council, describing both the appointment and the agency as fictitious.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Office of the Chief of Staff had alerted security agencies to Adeyemi’s activities after complaints emerged that a supposed government agency was operating alongside the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.
According to the statement, the Chief of Staff petitioned the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force on October 17, requesting an investigation into what he described as “fraudsters and imposters” allegedly forging appointment letters from his office.
“The attention of this office has been drawn to the activities of certain individuals and groups engaged in the forgery of official appointment letters purportedly issued from my office. The fake documents, bearing falsified signatures, reference/folio numbers, and seals, have been used to claim leadership appointments to non existent entities, with particular reference to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council,” the petition read.
The Chief of Staff further alleged that Adeyemi had been presenting himself as Director General of the organisation, holding meetings with foreign diplomats and Nigerian citizens while also seeking a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate United States visas for members of the group.
“The above development not only constitutes a serious criminal act but also undermines the integrity of the presidency and the credibility of official government communication.
“I therefore urge you to initiate a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend those involved and also to uncover the network facilitating the forgery,” the petition added.
The Presidency said the concerns had also been raised independently by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which sought clarification after Adeyemi reportedly met ambassadors at a hotel in Abuja without the ministry’s involvement.
“This act contravenes extant rules and regulations guiding diplomatic practices globally,” the ministry reportedly stated in its correspondence.
According to the statement, the Office of the Chief of Staff repeatedly informed both the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation that neither Adeyemi nor the alleged council had any official recognition.
“Prince Adeniyi Matthew, director general of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, is unknown to any office, nor do we have any dealings with the said council.
“My attention was drawn to a letter of this purported application, which is fake, and my office has instructed the police and other relevant security agencies to carry out investigations on the person and the entity he claims to represent,” the Chief of Staff was quoted as saying.
The Presidency said police arrested Adeyemi in Abuja on October 27, 2025, and recovered documents from his office and residence. Investigators allegedly established that the appointment letter was forged, the agency did not exist, and that he had used false documents to seek diplomatic support and open multiple bank accounts.
Quoting the police investigation, the statement said: “The act of the suspect constitutes criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, thereby bringing the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Presidency to disrepute before the public and international community.”
The statement added that police subsequently filed an eight count charge against Adeyemi and two alleged accomplices at the Federal High Court on November 27, 2025. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 27.
The Presidency said Adeyemi’s recent claim that he was duly appointed contradicted the statement he made to investigators after his arrest. It urged politicians and members of the public to allow the judicial process to run its course rather than rely on what it described as the claims of an impostor.
