Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a firm demand to the leadership of the National Assembly, urging Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to urgently disclose all documents relating to the approval of over N1.3 billion allocated to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council in the 2026 Appropriation Act. In a Freedom of Information request dated July 4, 2026, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation called on the two presiding officers to provide certified copies of records detailing how the allocation of N1,302,978,784 was considered and approved. SERAP also demanded the release of documents identifying members of the National Assembly committees that reviewed the budget provision, as well as the names and official designations of public officers who appeared before those committees to defend the proposed allocation.
The organisation further requested clarification on whether the allocation was part of the Executive's original Appropriation Bill or was introduced during the legislative budget process. SERAP also sought to know whether any lawmaker raised concerns regarding the legal status, establishment, or operational mandate of the council during deliberations, and what actions were taken in response. The group emphasised that the conflicting accounts surrounding the allocation raise serious concerns about the integrity of Nigeria's appropriations process, legislative oversight, public financial management, and accountability.
The controversy stems from the fact that the Presidency has publicly denied the existence of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, insisting that the body was never established by the Federal Government. On June 11, 2026, President Bola Tinubu's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, issued a public disclaimer informing foreign missions, financial institutions, and international organisations that the PFIPC had no official status and that no appointment had been made under its name. Despite this denial, the council was explicitly captured on pages 50 and 51 of the 2026 budget with a total allocation of N1,302,978,784, comprising recurrent expenditure of N1,002,978,784 and capital expenditure of N300,000,000. The budget breakdown included salaries of N573,260,187; allowances and social contributions of N229,718,596; logistics for a World Investment Summit of N182,500,000; and Strategic Investment Negotiations of N11,000,000.
The supposedly non-existent agency had reportedly operated from a physical office space at the Federal Secretariat and maintained a Treasury Single Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Presidency itself confirmed that the agency operated 34 bank accounts, with nine opened in the names of fictitious agencies. The Presidency claimed that the Director General of the agency, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, forged his appointment letter and all the documents he used to create and run the agency. However, Adeyemi has insisted that he was legitimately appointed and has called for an independent investigation into the activities of the two agencies, pointing to the budget allocation as evidence of their existence.
In its FOI request, SERAP urged the National Assembly to promptly exercise its constitutional powers under sections 88 and 89 of the Nigerian Constitution to investigate the circumstances surrounding the allocation to what it described as "a fictitious presidential council" and to identify anyone responsible for any irregularities. The organisation argued that the National Assembly has a constitutional duty not merely to approve the Executive's budget proposals but to thoroughly scrutinise, debate, and authorise public expenditure in line with the Constitution. "Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law," SERAP stated, adding that the National Assembly ought to keep an eye on what the Executive is doing and keep the Presidency and agencies of government in check before and during the appropriation process.
SERAP maintained that Nigerians have a constitutional right to know whether public funds were appropriated for an entity that was not lawfully established and, if so, how such an allocation was approved. The organisation cited Nigeria's Freedom of Information Act, the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the globally recognised Tshwane Principles on National Security and the Right to Information in support of its demand. It warned that failure to comply with the request within seven days would leave it with no option but to institute legal proceedings against the National Assembly in the public interest. "We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and the National Assembly to comply with our request in the public interest," the organisation stated.
The PFIPC scandal has drawn widespread condemnation from civil society organisations and political figures. A coalition of civil society groups has called for an independent investigation into the budgetary allocations linked to the purported agency. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for Gbajabiamila's immediate suspension over the allegations, while the Presidency has defended the Chief of Staff and accused Adeyemi of peddling lies. As the seven-day ultimatum clock begins ticking, all eyes are on the National Assembly leadership to see whether they will comply with SERAP's demand for transparency or face legal action in what has become one of the most damaging budget scandals to hit the Tinubu administration.
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