Nigerian Eye
Senate rejects motion seeking probe of PFIPC budget allocation
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.
Barau replied: “What I am saying is this: the way you come
to ventilate your views”.
“Allow me…” Sumaila responded.
“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.
3 hours ago
