Nigeria presidency denies role in alleged fraud, faces questions on 'porosity'

The Nigerian presidency is attempting to frame a bizarre incident involving alleged impersonation and fraud as the work of a "con-artist" with "extraordinary powers." The focus is on Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who reportedly secured a federal government office, inserted a budget line for a non-existent agency, and even summoned foreign ambassadors to meetings.

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The Presidency wants Nigerians to believe that one Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, single-handedly invented a federal agency, secured a sprawling office at the Federal Secretariat, inserted a budget line, and summoned foreign ambassadors to a meeting at the Wells Carlton Hotel, all through forged documents and some juju in his mouth.

The presidency's narrative suggests that Adeyemi single-handedly mesmerized various government bodies, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Assembly, and segments of the diplomatic community, through forged documents and deception. This portrayal aims to portray the Tinubu administration as a helpless victim of one man's elaborate scheme.

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If Prince Adeyemi possesses such extraordinary powers that he could mesmerise the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service, the National Assembly, and segments of the diplomatic community, then the real scandal is not his audacity but the astonishing porosity of the Tinubu administration.

However, an alternative and more damaging account has emerged from Adeyemi himself. He alleges that Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, sold him a public office for 600 million naira, with 400 million paid upfront. Adeyemi claims the deal soured due to disagreements over profit sharing, specifically Gbajabiamila's alleged demand for a substantial portion of the agency's take-off grant.

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Tinubu’s supposedly sagacious government is now advertising itself as the pitiable target of Prince Adeyemi’s supernatural powers?

The presidency has predictably dismissed these allegations as "cheap blackmail." Yet, the core questions remain: how could a man with a documented history of impersonation successfully infiltrate federal buildings, secure official space, and engage with ambassadors before being detected? The timeline provided by the presidency, including a complaint from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October 2025, raises further doubts about the administration's vetting processes and its ability to prevent such sophisticated deception.

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Prince Adeyemi has alleged that Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, sold him a public office for ¦ 600 million, with ¦ 400 million paid upfront.