Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew has said he will defend himself in court over allegations surrounding his claimed appointment to a purported presidential council, insisting that the judiciary is the appropriate forum to determine the merits of the case.
Speaking amid the ongoing controversy, Adeyemi maintained that he would allow the legal process to take its course, expressing confidence that the courts would establish the truth of the allegations against him.
“I will defend myself in court. The judiciary should determine the validity of the allegations. The court is the proper place to resolve this matter,” he said.
Adeyemi’s comments come after the Federal Government filed criminal charges against him over allegations including forgery, impersonation, conspiracy and the use of fake presidential documents. The charges stem from his alleged claim to be the Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), also referred to in some instances as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The Presidency has repeatedly denied the existence of the purported council, describing Adeyemi as an impostor who allegedly forged official documents to present himself as a presidential appointee. According to the Presidency, investigations by security agencies were initiated after complaints that the purported body was operating in parallel with legitimate government institutions.
The controversy escalated after Adeyemi made allegations of corruption against the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. The Presidency has dismissed those allegations as false and maintained that the matter is now before the courts.
With criminal proceedings underway, the case is expected to test the competing claims made by both parties, as the court considers the evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence.
