Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has asked the leadership of the National Assembly to explain how more than ₦1.3 billion was allocated in the 2026 Appropriation Act to a presidential council that the Presidency says does not exist.
In a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated July 4, 2026, SERAP asked Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to release documents relating to the allocation.
The request, signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, seeks certified copies of records approving ₦1,302,978,784 for the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), also listed in the budget as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
SERAP also urged the National Assembly to use its constitutional investigative powers to examine how the allocation was approved and identify anyone responsible for any irregularities.
The organisation requested records showing the lawmakers and committees that considered the budget proposal.
It also asked for details of the government officials who appeared before lawmakers to defend the allocation.
SERAP wants the National Assembly to clarify whether the allocation appeared in the Executive’s original 2026 Appropriation Bill or was introduced during the legislative process.
It also asked whether lawmakers questioned the legal status or official mandate of the council before approving the budget.
According to SERAP, the request followed conflicting claims about the existence of the council.
The organisation noted that while the 2026 Appropriation Act allocated more than ₦1.3 billion to the PFIPC, the Presidency later said the council had never been established and was fictitious.
SERAP argued that the contradiction raises concerns about Nigeria’s budget process, legislative oversight and public financial management.
The organisation said Nigerians deserve to know whether public funds were appropriated for an agency that was not legally created.
It added that releasing the requested records would allow citizens to determine whether the National Assembly properly scrutinised the allocation before approving it.
SERAP warned that it would file a lawsuit if lawmakers fail to provide the requested information within seven days.
The organisation said public disclosure would improve transparency, strengthen accountability and increase public confidence in the National Assembly.
SERAP also cited the Freedom of Information Act, the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations to support its request for disclosure.
