Prince Matthew Adeyemi scandal rattles Nigeria’s political elite

Prince Matthew Adeniyi Adeyemi, a self‑styled Nigerian “prince”, has been exposed for creating a fake government‑linked body called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). He claimed the role of director‑general after allegedly paying ₦400 million to Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and secured office space, a payroll for 300 staff and diplomatic‑type meetings, despite no official recognition. Gbajabiamila has denied any relationship with Adeyemi and, through his lawyers, issued a 72‑hour cease‑and‑desist order demanding a full retraction and threatening a ₦10 billion defamation suit.

Community elders in Ogbomoso issued a statement disowning Adeyemi, asserting he holds no legitimate royal title in the town and condemning his fraudulent activities. The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights called on Gbajabiamila to step aside pending an independent investigation into the allegations of bribery, forgery and abuse of office linked to the PFIPC scandal.

The controversy has sparked a broader debate over corruption and accountability within Nigeria’s federal government.