The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to explain how more than ₦1.3 billion was allocated in the 2026 Appropriation Act to a presidential council the Presidency has declared does not exist.
The rights group is also demanding a full investigation into the controversial budget allocation, saying Nigerians deserve to know how public funds were appropriated for what has been described as a fictitious government body.
The demand was contained in a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated Saturday, July 4, 2026, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
In the request, SERAP asked the leadership of the National Assembly to provide certified copies of all documents relating to the approval of the ₦1,302,978,784 allocation to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), which was also listed in the budget as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The organisation also urged the National Assembly to immediately invoke its investigative powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to probe the circumstances surrounding the allocation and identify those responsible for any irregularities.
SERAP further requested records identifying the lawmakers and committees that considered and approved the allocation, as well as the public officials who appeared before the committees to defend the proposed funding.
The organisation also asked the National Assembly to clarify whether the allocation was part of the Executive’s original 2026 Appropriation Bill or inserted during the legislative process. It equally sought to know whether any lawmaker questioned the legal status or operational mandate of the Council before the budget was passed.
According to SERAP, the request became necessary following conflicting claims over the existence of the Council.
The group noted that although the 2026 Appropriation Act reportedly earmarked more than ₦1.3 billion for the PFIPC, also referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, the Presidency has publicly stated that the body was never established by the Federal Government and is fictitious.
SERAP said the contradiction raises serious concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s budget process, legislative oversight, public financial management and accountability.
“Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law,” the organisation said, stressing that the National Assembly has a constitutional duty not only to approve budgets but also to thoroughly scrutinise Executive proposals before authorising public spending.
It argued that Nigerians have a right to know whether public funds were appropriated for an entity that was not lawfully established and, if so, how the allocation found its way into the national budget.
According to SERAP, making the requested documents public would allow citizens to determine whether the National Assembly fulfilled its constitutional responsibilities in scrutinising and approving the allocation.
The organisation warned that if the requested information is not provided within seven days of receiving or publishing the FoI request, it would commence legal proceedings to compel the National Assembly to release the records.
SERAP maintained that making the documents public would strengthen confidence in the National Assembly, improve transparency in the budget process and promote accountability in the management of public funds.
The organisation also cited the Freedom of Information Act, the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s obligations under international human rights instruments, arguing that public institutions have a duty to proactively disclose information of significant public interest, especially where allegations of financial impropriety or misuse of public funds have been raised.
