The embattled Director-General of the now-disbanded Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, has defended the creation of the agency, insisting it was established to promote Nigeria’s image, attract foreign investment and support President Bola Tinubu’s administration rather than serve personal interests.
Speaking during a video call with social media critic Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, on Wednesday, Matthew also denied any knowledge of the agency’s alleged budget insertion and defence in the national budget approved by the National Assembly and signed into law by the President.
According to him, the reported ₦400 million spent on setting up the agency’s office was motivated by patriotism and his desire to contribute to national development.
“I established that amount for the agency’s office out of passion for the country. I wanted to bring in foreign investors to Nigeria so that I can write my name in gold. I am just desperate to serve,” Matthew said.
He added that the council was created to position Nigeria as a preferred destination for foreign investment, noting that he had worked with ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the EFCC, to pursue that objective.
