The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to urgently disclose all documents relating to the approval of more than ₦1.3 billion allocated to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a body the Presidency has described as non-existent.
In a Freedom of Information request dated July 4, 2026, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged the National Assembly leadership to provide certified copies of records detailing how the sum of ₦1,302,978,784 was considered and approved under the 2026 Appropriation Act.
SERAP also called on both presiding officers to invoke the National Assembly’s investigative powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution to probe the circumstances surrounding the allocation and identify any individuals responsible for irregularities in the budget process.
The group further demanded records identifying lawmakers on the committees that handled the allocation, as well as the names and official positions of government representatives who appeared before the committees to defend the proposed funding. It also requested clarification on whether the allocation originated from the Executive’s original budget proposal or was introduced during legislative consideration, and whether any concerns were raised regarding the legal status of the council.
The controversy stems from revelations that the PFIPC, alternatively referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council in some budget documents, received over ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Budget despite repeated denials by the Presidency that such a body was ever established by the Federal Government.
The Presidency had earlier described the Council as fictitious and announced criminal proceedings against Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who allegedly presented himself as its Director-General, on charges including forgery and impersonation.
SERAP argued that the conflicting accounts raise serious questions about the credibility of Nigeria’s appropriations process, legislative oversight, public financial management, and accountability mechanisms.
The organisation maintained that the National Assembly has a constitutional obligation, not merely to approve executive spending proposals but to rigorously scrutinise them before authorising the use of public funds. “Nigeria’s lawmakers have a sacred responsibility to obey and uphold the law”, SERAP stated, stressing that the 10th NASS must effectively monitor executive actions and ensure transparency throughout the budgeting process.
The organisation noted that Nigerians deserve to know whether public funds were appropriated to an entity that was never lawfully created and, if so, how such an anomaly occurred. It argued that full disclosure would strengthen public confidence in the National Assembly and enhance accountability in the management of public resources.
SERAP has given the National Assembly leadership seven days to respond to its requests, warning that it would institute legal action in the public interest if the information is not provided within that period.
