The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the leadership of the National Assembly to immediately disclose certified records relating to the approval of more than ₦1.3 billion allocated to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), also referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
In a statement, the rights advocacy organisation urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to exercise the National Assembly’s constitutional oversight powers to investigate the circumstances surrounding the allocation, following claims by the Presidency that the council does not exist.
SERAP specifically requested certified copies of all documents relating to the consideration and approval of the ₦1,302,978,784 allocation, as well as records identifying members of the relevant National Assembly committees that handled the budget proposal.
The organisation also demanded the names and official designations of public officers or representatives who appeared before the committees to defend the proposed allocation during the budget process.
According to SERAP, reports indicate that the PFIPC was allocated more than ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite the Presidency’s public position that the body is fictitious and was never established by the Federal Government.
The group argued that the conflicting accounts have raised serious concerns over the integrity of Nigeria’s appropriation process, legislative oversight, public financial management and accountability.
SERAP urged the Senate President and the Speaker to invoke the National Assembly’s investigative powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution to determine how the allocation was approved and identify any individuals responsible for alleged irregularities.
It maintained that lawmakers have a constitutional responsibility to scrutinise executive budget proposals before approving public spending and to hold government institutions accountable.
“Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law,” SERAP stated, adding that the National Assembly must ensure effective oversight of the Executive and thoroughly examine budget proposals before authorising expenditure.
