The Senate has rejected a motion seeking a legislative investigation into the controversial budget allocation to the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). Instead, lawmakers resolved to await the outcome of the ongoing investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The motion, sponsored by Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila (APC, Kano South), called for an urgent probe into the inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite repeated claims by the Presidency that the council does not exist.
Senator Raises Questions Over Budget Allocation
Presenting the motion during plenary, Sumaila argued that the allocation raised serious concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s budget process and the integrity of the National Assembly’s appropriation duties.
According to him, the PFIPC received ₦1.302 billion under Budget Code 0111062001. He maintained that senior government officials had already disowned the council, making its appearance in the budget difficult to explain.
“The inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act raises serious questions regarding the integrity of the budget preparation and appropriation process.”
Senate Backs Ongoing ICPC Investigation
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, declined to allow debate on the motion.
He reminded lawmakers that President Bola Tinubu had already directed the ICPC to investigate the controversy. Consequently, he advised the Senate to wait for the commission’s findings before taking any further legislative action.
Following his ruling, senators rejected the motion and shelved plans for a parliamentary investigation.
PFIPC Controversy Continues
The controversy has attracted widespread public attention after the Presidency distanced itself from the PFIPC and insisted that the council is not a recognised government agency.
However, official budget documents later showed that the council received an allocation of more than ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act. The revelation triggered fresh questions about how the body found its way into the national budget.
President Tinubu subsequently directed the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the allocation and identify those responsible.
Attention Turns to ICPC Findings
Meanwhile, attention has shifted to the ICPC investigation, which is expected to establish how the PFIPC appeared in the national budget despite the Presidency’s position that the council does not exist.
The outcome of the investigation is expected to shape any further action by both the Federal Government and the National Assembly.
