Nigeria’s controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) saga has taken a fresh turn after the House of Representatives ordered a full investigation into how more than ₦1.3 billion was allocated to an agency with no legal backing in the 2026 budget.
The House summoned the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning alongside the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation to explain how the allocation was approved. Lawmakers also agreed to establish an ad hoc committee to trace the controversial budget provision from the executive proposal through the National Assembly’s approval process, describing the incident as a serious threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s public finance system.
The motion, sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), warned that allowing a non-existent government agency to receive budgetary allocation exposed dangerous weaknesses in the country’s budgeting process. Gagdi argued that the ease with which the PFIPC appeared in official documents pointed to a systemic failure rather than a simple administrative error.
As part of its resolutions, the House directed that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) listed in both the 2025 and 2026 Appropriation Frameworks be verified against their legal instruments of establishment. Lawmakers also instructed the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to ensure no public funds are released to the PFIPC while investigations continue.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu added another layer to the controversy by revealing that his office had previously received an official-looking letter bearing the Presidency’s insignia from individuals identifying themselves as members of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the PFIPC. According to him, the correspondence carried a Federal Secretariat address and a “.gov.ng” website, prompting verification before a meeting was granted. However, he said the delegation abandoned policy discussions during the meeting and focused mainly on taking photographs, raising fresh concerns over the group’s authenticity.
While the House moved ahead with its investigation, the Senate chose a different path. A motion sponsored by Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu seeking a parliamentary probe was effectively put on hold after Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin argued that President Bola Tinubu had already directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter. Kawu insisted that the Senate had a constitutional responsibility to examine how the disputed agency made its way into the national budget, separate from any criminal investigation.
The President’s directive has also drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society organisations. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) rejected the ICPC-led probe, insisting that only an independent judicial panel would command public confidence. The party also called for President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to step aside while investigations continue, arguing that allowing him to remain in office could undermine public trust in the process.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar echoed that position, proposing an expanded investigative panel comprising representatives of the Federal Government, opposition parties, civil society groups, the Nigerian Bar Association and retired judicial officers. Human rights organisations, including HURIWA and HEDA, also questioned the independence of the planned investigation, with HEDA urging the temporary suspension of the Chief of Staff to eliminate any perception of interference.
Meanwhile, the controversy has taken another dimension following claims by the father of Adebayo Adeniyi, one of the individuals reportedly linked to the case. Pa Adetunji Ajayi Adeniyi alleged that security operatives twice searched his Ogbomoso residence in Oyo State while looking for his son before later inviting him for questioning. He maintained that he was unaware of his son’s whereabouts, insisting that his son worked for the government in Abuja and had never been involved in criminal activities.
