Rights group asks Akpabio and Abbas to explain funding for non-existent body, seeks full investigation and documents
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to account for the ₦1.3 billion allocated in the 2026 Appropriation Act to a presidential council the Presidency itself has described as non-existent.
In a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated July 4, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP demanded certified copies of all documents relating to the approval of the ₦1,302,978,784 allocation to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), also referred to in the budget as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The group urged the National Assembly leadership to immediately invoke its investigative powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to thoroughly probe the circumstances surrounding the allocation and identify those responsible for any irregularities.
SERAP also requested detailed records identifying the lawmakers and committees that considered and approved the funding, as well as the public officials who defended the proposed allocation before the committees. The organisation further asked whether the allocation was part of the Executive’s original 2026 Appropriation Bill or was inserted during the legislative process, and if any lawmaker raised concerns about the council’s legal status or mandate.
The request follows conflicting statements over the council’s existence. While the 2026 budget earmarked over ₦1.3 billion for the PFIPC, the Presidency has publicly stated that the body was never established by the Federal Government and is fictitious. SERAP warned that the contradiction raises serious questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s budget process, legislative oversight, public financial management, and accountability.
The rights group said the development suggests possible budget padding and demands urgent transparency to restore public confidence in the appropriation process.
