SERAP demands probe over N1.3bn allocation to ‘non-existent’ presidential council

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to explain the inclusion of over N1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act for a presidential council which the Presidency has reportedly denied its existence.

In a Freedom of Information request dated July 4, 2026, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation demanded certified copies of all documents relating to the approval of the N1,302,978,784 allocation made to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, also identified as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

SERAP also called on the leadership of the National Assembly to immediately activate its constitutional oversight powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution to investigate the circumstances surrounding the allocation, identify those responsible for any irregularities, and determine whether public funds were appropriated for an entity without legal existence.

The organisation further requested documents identifying the National Assembly committees that handled the allocation, the lawmakers involved in the process, and the government officials or representatives who defended the budget proposal during legislative consideration.

In addition, SERAP sought clarification on whether the disputed allocation formed part of the Executive’s original budget submission or was inserted during the legislative appropriation process.

The group also asked whether any lawmaker raised concerns about the legal status or operational mandate of the council and what actions, if any, were taken in response.

The request followed reports that the PFIPC received more than N1.3 billion in the 2026 national budget despite a statement issued by the Presidency on July 1 describing the council as a non-existent body that was never created by the Federal Government.

According to SERAP, the discrepancy between the budgetary allocation and the Presidency’s denial raises serious questions about the credibility of Nigeria’s appropriation process, legislative scrutiny, and public financial management.

“Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law,” the organisation stated, stressing that the National Assembly has a constitutional responsibility not only to approve budgets but also to carefully scrutinise spending proposals before authorising the release of public funds.

SERAP maintained that Nigerians have the right to know whether billions of naira were allocated to an entity lacking legal backing and how such an appropriation passed through the legislative process without being challenged.

The organisation argued that releasing the requested records would allow citizens to assess whether the National Assembly fulfilled its constitutional duties under Sections 80, 81, 88, and 89 of the Constitution during the consideration of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

It added that public disclosure of the records would promote transparency in government spending, strengthen public trust in the National Assembly, and reinforce accountability in the management of national resources.

SERAP also referenced the Freedom of Information Act, the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the internationally recognised Tshwane Principles, insisting that public institutions are legally required to disclose information relating to the use of public funds and allegations of official misconduct.

The organisation gave the National Assembly seven days to comply with its demands, warning that it would pursue legal action if the requested information was not provided within the stipulated period.

“The requested records concern matters of exceptional public importance,” SERAP stated, noting that transparency in the handling of the controversial allocation is crucial to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s budgeting process and ensuring accountability in public administration.