The senate has rejected a motion seeking an investigation into the inclusion of the presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC) in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
Lawmakers, however, resolved to withhold further action until the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) concludes the probe ordered by President Bola Tinubu.
The decision followed a point of order raised by Kawu Sumaila, senator representing Kano south, who urged the upper chamber to investigate how the agency, which the presidency has described as non-existent, secured a budgetary allocation of N1.3 billion.
Speaking at Wednesday’s plenary, Sumaila said the controversy directly affects the integrity of the senate, the credibility of the national assembly and its constitutional oversight and appropriation responsibilities.
As Sumaila began presenting his motion, Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president, who presided over plenary, interrupted him, saying the matter appeared to be like a substantive motion.
“I raised it as a matter of privilege. I am pleading with Mr President to allow me, just to hear me; then the chair can decide,” Sumaila said.
You are coming as if you are presenting a substantive motion. But, you say it, say your mind about what you feel like it. The senate will look at what should be done. I want to guide you,” Barau said.
“I am properly guided,” Sumaila replied.
Barau subsequently allowed him to proceed after directing another senator, who attempted to raise a separate point of order, to take his seat.
Presenting his case, Sumaila said the inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 budget raised serious questions about the integrity of the appropriation process.
He noted that although the executive had publicly disowned the agency, it was allocated N1,302,978,000 under budget code 0111062001 in the appropriation act.
“Senate notes that notwithstanding the executive’s public disapproval of this agency, the entirety was incorporated in the 2026 Appropriation Act under Code 0111062001 with a budgetary allocation of N1,302,978,000,” he said.
“Thereby raising a serious question regarding the integrity of the budget preparation and appropriation process.”
According to the senator, the allocation comprised over N800 million for personnel costs, more than N200 million for overheads and over N300 million for capital expenditure.
He noted that allocating public funds to an entity now officially described as non-existent undermined public confidence in the budget process and exposed weaknesses in legislative scrutiny.
Sumaila asked the senate to mandate its committees on ethics, code of conduct and public petitions, and appropriations to investigate how the allocation was proposed, scrutinised, justified and approved.
He also sought an inquiry into whether any funds had been released or spent under the budget line and whether any bank account had been opened or operated in relation to the allocation.
“This is the angle I am coming from, the angle of budget, which is our constitutional responsibility. I so submit, Mr President,” he said.
Responding, Barau said the matter ought to have been presented as a substantive motion through the senate committee on rules and business.
He, however, said the presidency had already directed the ICPC to investigate the controversy, making it unnecessary for the senate to commence a parallel probe at this stage.
“Like I said, distinguished colleagues, he came under privilege, and I thought this issue he could have brought to the rules and business committee, to be listed as a substantive motion,” Barau said.
“But, 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.
“And I think ICPC has started. I believe that 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 thereafter put the position to a voice vote.
The senate adopted the position without dissent, effectively rejecting Sumaila’s request for an immediate investigation into the PFIPC budget allocation pending the outcome of the ICPC probe.
