THE SENATE on Wednesday declined to immediately probe the inclusion of the 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 came as the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room called for a transparent, independent and comprehensive investigation into the controversy surrounding the alleged phantom federal agency, describing the matter as one that raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability and the integrity of public institutions.
The Senate’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by Sen. Kawu Sumaila (APC-Kano), who sought an investigation into how the agency received a budgetary allocation of N1.3 billion in the 2026 budget.
Raising the matter as one of urgent national importance, Sumaila argued that the controversy had cast doubt on the credibility of Nigeria’s budget preparation and appropriation process.
However, Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano), who presided over plenary, interrupted the presentation, noting that the issue ought to have been brought before the chamber as a substantive motion.
Presenting his arguments, Sumaila said that despite the executive’s public disowning of the agency, the PFIPC was allocated N1.3 billion under budget code 0111062001 in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
According to him, the allocation included more than N800 million for personnel costs, over N200 million for overheads and more than N300 million for capital expenditure.
He maintained that the inclusion of a phantom agency in the national budget undermined public confidence in the appropriation process and exposed weaknesses in legislative scrutiny.
The lawmaker urged the Senate to mandate its Committees on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, as well as Appropriations, to investigate how the allocation was proposed, scrutinised, justified and approved.
He also called for an inquiry into whether any funds had been released, committed or spent under the budget line and whether any bank account had been opened or operated in connection with the allocation.
Responding, Barau said the Presidency had already directed the ICPC to investigate the matter and that the anti-graft agency had commenced its work.
He said the Senate considered it appropriate to await the outcome of the investigation before deciding on any further legislative action.
“As I said earlier, the Presidency has taken up this matter by directing that the ICPC should investigate fully how this matter came to be. I think ICPC has started. What we need to do at this stage is to have the report of the ICPC, and then we can act on that report and deal with it as we feel appropriate,” Barau said.
Situation Room Demands Independent Enquiry, Reforms
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has demanded an independent and transparent enquiry into the controversy, citing reports of the alleged forged appointment of Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew as Director-General of the purported agency.
In a statement issued in Abuja by its Convener, Engr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, the group said the controversy involved allegations of influence peddling, corruption, questionable budgetary allocations and the operation of an agency whose legal status has been disputed.
Ya’u said competent authorities must establish the authenticity of the allegations through credible investigations rather than speculation.
He recalled the Presidency’s denial of any involvement by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, while describing the principal accuser as an impostor currently facing prosecution.
According to him, however, the controversy extends beyond individual culpability and raises broader concerns about transparency, accountability and due diligence in public appointments.
He also questioned reports that the 2026 budget allocated N1.3 billion to the agency despite claims that it did not exist, as well as reports that staff were deployed to the agency by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
Ya’u said the conflicting accounts surrounding the agency’s recognition, funding and operations had exposed weaknesses in Nigeria’s governance architecture and weakened public confidence in government institutions.
He argued that official denials alone were insufficient to restore public trust, insisting that accountability in a constitutional democracy required independent scrutiny.
The Situation Room called for the suspension of individuals linked to the alleged agency pending the outcome of investigations, full cooperation by relevant public officials and institutions, public release of investigation findings, prosecution of anyone found guilty of forgery or fraud, and an audit of appointment and verification processes.
The group also urged the government to establish a public digital register of recognised federal institutions to improve verification of government agencies and appointments, while cautioning against premature conclusions and urging that due process be allowed to take its course.
