The Senate has rejected a motion seeking an investigation into the controversial ₦1.3 billion allocation to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in the 2026 Appropriation Act, citing legal and procedural constraints.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, explained that the upper legislative chamber could not initiate a probe because no formal petition had been submitted and the matter is already before a court of competent jurisdiction.

According to Adaramodu, the PFIPC controversy falls within the purview of the executive arm of government, adding that the Senate would only consider an investigation upon receiving a formal complaint from an interested party or concerned citizen.

The lawmaker further clarified that the National Assembly neither established the agency nor inserted the contentious allocation into the 2026 budget, distancing the legislature from allegations surrounding the funding.

The development comes amid growing public scrutiny over the ₦1.3 billion budgetary provision for the PFIPC, an agency reportedly described by the Presidency as non-existent. The revelation has sparked widespread concerns about transparency, accountability, and the integrity of Nigeria's budget process.

Civil society groups, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), have called for a thorough investigation into the allocation and the circumstances that led to its inclusion in the national budget.

As controversy continues to trail the allocation, pressure is mounting on relevant authorities to provide clarity and ensure accountability over the disputed budget provision.