Senate has declined a motion seeking an immediate investigation into the controversial budget allocation made to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Gatekeepers News reports that the senate opted instead to await the outcome of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) probe ordered by President Bola Tinubu.
The motion, sponsored by Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila, raised concerns over the inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite the Presidency’s insistence that the agency does not exist. Sumaila noted that the purported council received a budgetary allocation of N1.302 billion under budget code 0111062001, describing the development as a serious threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s budget process.
However, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over plenary, advised lawmakers against launching a separate parliamentary inquiry, arguing that the Presidency had already directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter. The Senate subsequently resolved to suspend further legislative action until the anti-graft agency concludes its investigation and submits its findings.
The decision comes amid growing controversy surrounding the PFIPC after the Presidency disowned the organisation and President Tinubu ordered the ICPC to investigate how the agency was created and how it secured a place in the 2026 budget. The anti-corruption commission has been given 30 days to conclude its probe.
