The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the leadership of the National Assembly to investigate the allocation of over N1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act to a presidential council that the Presidency says does not exist.
In a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated July 4, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to explain the inclusion of N1,302,978,784 for the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), also referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The request follows a statement by the Presidency on July 1, 2026, describing the council as a non-existent body that was never established by the Federal Government.
SERAP described the apparent contradiction as a serious issue that questions the integrity of Nigeria’s budgeting and legislative processes.
SERAP demanded certified copies of all documents relating to the approval of the allocation, including details on:
The National Assembly committees and lawmakers involved
Government officials who defended the proposal
Whether the allocation was part of the Executive’s original submission or inserted during legislative review
Any concerns raised about the council’s legal status and actions taken (if any)
The organisation urged the National Assembly to immediately activate its constitutional oversight powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution to probe the matter, identify those responsible, and determine if public funds were approved for a body without legal existence.
“Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law,” SERAP stated, emphasising the National Assembly’s duty to scrutinise budget proposals thoroughly before authorising expenditure.
The group gave the National Assembly seven days to provide the requested information and documents, warning that it would take legal action if the deadline is not met.
SERAP argued that transparency in this matter is essential to restoring public trust in the budgeting process and ensuring accountability in the management of public resources.
The development has raised broader concerns about potential irregularities in the 2026 national budget and the effectiveness of legislative oversight.
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