Senate Defers Probe Of Alleged Fake Agency’s ₦1.3bn Budget Allocation Pending ICPC Investigation

July 8 () — The Senate has declined to immediately investigate the inclusion of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in the 2026 Appropriation Act, opting instead to await the outcome of an ongoing investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The decision was taken during Wednesday’s plenary after Senator Kawu Sumaila (APC, Kano South) moved a motion calling for an investigation into how the purported agency secured a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 national budget.

The development comes a day after President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the alleged PFIPC, which the Federal Government maintains was never established and has no legal backing.

While presenting the motion, Sumaila argued that the controversy had raised serious concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s budget preparation and appropriation process.

He noted that despite the Presidency publicly disowning the PFIPC, the organisation was listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act under Budget Code 0111062001 with a ₦1.3 billion allocation.

The lawmaker urged the Senate to investigate how the budget provision was introduced, scrutinised and approved, and to determine whether any funds had been released or spent under the budget line.

Responding, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, said the Presidency had already directed the ICPC to investigate the matter and that the Senate should await the commission’s findings before taking further action.

He said the Senate would consider appropriate legislative steps after receiving the outcome of the anti-graft agency’s investigation.

The controversy deepened after Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew challenged the Presidency’s position that the PFIPC never existed, alleging that references to both the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

He also made allegations against the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over his purported appointment. The allegations remain unsubstantiated, while Gbajabiamila has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The ICPC investigation will examine the authenticity of appointment letters, financial transactions, and other documents linked to the alleged agency, while also identifying possible weaknesses in government processes and recommending measures to prevent similar incidents.