The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the leadership of the National Assembly to release all documents relating to the approval of over ₦1.3 billion allocated to a controversial presidential council that the Presidency itself has publicly declared non-existent.
In a Freedom of Information request dated July 4, 2026, SERAP urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to provide certified copies of records connected to the consideration and approval of the ₦1,302,978,784 budgetary allocation to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), also referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
The organisation further demanded an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the appropriation, invoking the National Assembly’s constitutional oversight powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.
SERAP insisted that Nigerians deserve a full explanation as to how public funds were earmarked for an entity that, according to the Presidency, was never lawfully established by the Federal Government.
The group requested details of lawmakers and committees that handled the budget provision, as well as the identities and official capacities of government representatives who appeared before the committees to defend the allocation.
It also sought clarification on whether the controversial budget item originated from the Executive’s initial Appropriation Bill or was introduced during legislative consideration, including whether any legislator raised objections over the legal status and operational mandate of the body.
SERAP, in the letter signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, described the development as a grave threat to public accountability and the integrity of Nigeria’s budgeting process.
“These conflicting accounts raise serious concerns regarding the integrity of Nigeria’s appropriations process, legislative oversight, public financial management and accountability,” the organisation stated.
It added that Nigerians have a constitutional right to know whether public funds were appropriated for a body that was never legally created and, if so, the processes and individuals responsible for such an action.
The organisation warned that it would initiate legal proceedings within seven days if the requested documents and explanations were not provided.
According to SERAP, public disclosure would not only strengthen confidence in the National Assembly but also promote transparency, accountability and meaningful citizen participation in scrutinising the management of public resources.
The controversy centres on the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and its self-acclaimed Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is currently facing criminal prosecution before the Federal High Court in Abuja on allegations bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
For months, Adeyemi allegedly operated under the banner of the PFIPC, organising high-profile engagements and interacting with several government institutions while presenting himself as the head of a presidential agency.
The situation became more contentious after the controversial council was allocated more than ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 national budget, despite mounting questions over its legal existence.
The Presidency, however, publicly disowned both the council and Adeyemi on July 1, describing him as an impostor allegedly involved in an elaborate scheme of forgery and impersonation.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, authorities disclosed that police investigations allegedly revealed that Adeyemi forged a presidential appointment letter purportedly signed by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila.
The Presidency further alleged that Adeyemi operated a non-existent federal agency and maintained 34 separate bank accounts, including nine accounts reportedly opened in the names of fictitious government institutions.
According to official accounts, Adeyemi was arrested on October 27, 2025, following a petition submitted by Gbajabiamila to security agencies over the alleged acts of forgery and impersonation.
An eight-count charge was subsequently filed against him and two other defendants at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with offences including conspiracy, forgery and impersonation. The matter is expected to return to court on July 27, 2026.
The Presidency also disclosed that concerns about the activities of the purported agency had earlier been raised independently by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.
Yet, the controversy deepened after Adeyemi levelled explosive allegations against Gbajabiamila, claiming that the Chief of Staff demanded ₦27.4 billion, representing 48 per cent of the agency’s proposed take-off grant.
Adeyemi further alleged that ₦400 million was paid through a proxy to facilitate his appointment, while an additional ₦200 million remained outstanding.
The Presidency has firmly rejected the allegations, maintaining that Adeyemi is an impostor currently standing trial for criminal offences and that the PFIPC never existed as a legitimate institution of government.
The unfolding scandal has now raised fresh questions about Nigeria’s appropriation process, the effectiveness of legislative oversight and how billions of naira can find their way into the national budget under the name of an agency the Federal Government insists was never created.