The Senate on Wednesday declined to immediately investigate the inclusion of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in the 2026 Appropriation Act, choosing instead to await the outcome of an ongoing investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The decision followed a motion sponsored by Senator Kawu Sumaila (APC, Kano South), who urged the upper chamber to investigate how the alleged agency was allocated N1.3 billion in the 2026 national budget despite the Federal Government’s insistence that it was never legally established.
Presenting the motion during plenary, Sumaila argued that the controversy had raised serious concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s budget preparation and appropriation process. He noted that although the Presidency had publicly disowned the PFIPC, the organisation still appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act under Budget Code 0111062001 with a budgetary allocation of N1.3 billion.
He called on the Senate to investigate how the budget proposal was introduced, scrutinised and approved, and to determine whether any funds had been released or spent under the allocation.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, said the Presidency had already directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter, making an immediate Senate probe unnecessary.
According to him, the Senate should allow the anti-graft agency to complete its work before deciding on any legislative action. He said lawmakers would review the commission’s findings and determine the appropriate course of action once the investigation is concluded.
Fake Agency Controversy
The controversy intensified after Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew disputed the Presidency’s position that the PFIPC never existed. During a media briefing, Adeyemi alleged that references to both the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act, fueling questions over how the entities found their way into the national budget.
Adeyemi also accused the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, of demanding money in connection with a purported appointment, alleging that N400 million was received through intermediaries with an additional N200 million requested.
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged agency within 30 days. The probe will examine the authenticity of appointment letters and other official documents allegedly used by those behind the scheme, investigate bank accounts linked to the purported agency, trace any related financial transactions, and determine whether public officials, financial institutions or private individuals played any role.
The President also instructed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to cooperate fully with the investigation and provide all relevant documents, while directing the ICPC to recommend reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
