The Budget Office of the Federation has denied spending any funds on the controversial Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC).

Speaking before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the council’s establishment and budgetary provisions on Friday, Director-General Tanimu Yakubu said although the National Assembly approved funds for the agency, the legal and administrative conditions required for the release of the money were never met.

Yakubu stated that no personnel, overhead, or capital funds were disbursed, stressing that the Budget Office withheld financial clearance, no recruitment or payroll was approved, and the Ministry of Finance and Office of the Accountant-General were instructed not to process any payments.

He added that there is no expenditure to recover because no funds were released or spent, and pledged the Budget Office’s continued cooperation with the House committee by providing all relevant documents.

The clarification comes amid controversy surrounding the PFIPC, following claims by Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the agency’s Director-General for months. Despite the Presidency declaring the agency nonexistent and accusing him of forging his appointment letter, Adeyemi insisted his appointment was valid and accused the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of receiving money through an intermediary to facilitate the appointment. Gbajabiamila denied the allegation and has filed a lawsuit, while Adeyemi was later arrested in Osun State.