SERAP Demands Answers from Akpabio, Abbas Over ₦1.3bn Budget for Alleged Non-Existent Presidential Council

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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 publicly explain how more than ₦1.3 billion was allocated in the 2026 Appropriation Act to what the Presidency has described as a non-existent government body.

In a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated July 4, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP requested the leadership of the National Assembly to release certified documents relating to the approval of ₦1,302,978,784 earmarked for the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC)/Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

The civic organisation also urged the National Assembly to immediately invoke its constitutional investigative powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution to probe the circumstances surrounding the controversial allocation and identify individuals responsible for any irregularities.

Demand for Budget Documents

SERAP requested certified records showing how the allocation was processed, including the identities of lawmakers who handled the appropriation, members of the relevant committees, and public officials who defended the budget proposal before the National Assembly.

The organisation further asked lawmakers to clarify whether the allocation was part of the Executive’s original budget proposal or whether it was inserted or amended during the legislative appropriation process.

According to SERAP, the National Assembly should also disclose whether any legislator questioned the legal status, establishment or operational mandate of the council before approving funding for it, and what actions were taken in response.

Presidency’s Denial Raises Questions

The request follows reports that the PFIPC/Presidential Economic Advisory Council received over ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 budget despite the Presidency publicly declaring that no such body exists.

The Presidency had, in a statement issued on July 1, 2026, described the council as a fictitious entity that was never established by the Federal Government.

SERAP said the conflicting claims between the budget document and the Presidency’s position have raised serious concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s budgeting process, legislative oversight and public financial accountability.

‘Lawmakers Must Be Accountable’

According to SERAP, legislators have a constitutional obligation to thoroughly examine budget proposals before approving public expenditure.

The organisation stated that the National Assembly’s responsibility goes beyond merely endorsing Executive proposals, insisting that lawmakers are required to scrutinise every allocation to ensure compliance with constitutional provisions.

“Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law,” SERAP said.

“The National Assembly ought to keep an eye on what the Executive is doing and ensure that government agencies are properly scrutinised before public funds are authorised.”

SERAP argued that the Constitution places significant responsibilities on the legislature during the appropriation process, requiring lawmakers to debate, examine and approve government spending in accordance with the law.

Nigerians Deserve an Explanation

The rights group maintained that Nigerians have a constitutional right to know whether public funds were appropriated to an entity that was never legally established and, if so, how such an allocation was approved.

It said disclosure of the requested information would enable citizens to assess whether the National Assembly fulfilled its constitutional oversight responsibilities under Sections 80, 81, 88 and 89 of the Constitution.

SERAP gave the National Assembly seven days to provide the requested records, warning that it would initiate legal proceedings if the information was not released within the stipulated period.

Call for Greater Transparency

The organisation argued that making the documents public would strengthen confidence in the National Assembly, improve transparency in public finance management and reinforce accountability in the appropriation process.

SERAP stressed that the records relate to issues of exceptional public importance because they concern the lawful establishment and funding of government institutions, the management of public resources and the effectiveness of legislative oversight.

According to the group, the Freedom of Information Act requires public institutions to disclose information where there are credible allegations of misconduct or possible misuse of public funds.

SERAP also cited Nigeria’s obligations under international human rights instruments, including Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the internationally recognised Tshwane Principles, all of which support citizens’ right to access information held by public authorities.

The organisation concluded that releasing the requested documents would promote openness in governance, strengthen parliamentary accountability and enable Nigerians to effectively monitor how public funds are appropriated and spent.