The Senate on Wednesday rejected a motion seeking an immediate investigation into the controversial N1.3 billion budget allocation to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), opting instead to await the outcome of an ongoing probe by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The upper chamber resolved to suspend further legislative action on the matter until the anti-graft agency concludes the investigation ordered by President Bola Tinubu.

The decision followed a point of order raised by Senator Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South, who urged the Senate to investigate how the PFIPC—an agency the Presidency has publicly described as non-existent—was allocated N1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

Speaking during Wednesday’s plenary, Sumaila argued that the issue raised serious concerns about the integrity of the Senate, the credibility of the National Assembly, and its constitutional responsibility for budget approval and oversight.

As the lawmaker began presenting his case, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, interrupted him, noting that the matter appeared to be a substantive motion rather than a point of privilege.

“I raised it as a matter of privilege. I am pleading with Mr President to allow me, just to hear me; then the chair can decide,” Sumaila appealed.

Barau responded that the senator’s presentation resembled a substantive motion.

“What I am saying is this: the way you come to ventilate your views,” Barau said.

“Allow me,” Sumaila replied.

“You are coming as if you are presenting a substantive motion. But say your mind about what you feel. The Senate will look at what should be done. I want to guide you,” Barau added.

“I am properly guided,” Sumaila responded.

The Deputy Senate President thereafter allowed the senator to continue after directing another lawmaker, who attempted to raise a separate point of order, to take his seat.

Presenting his argument, Sumaila said the inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 budget raised fundamental questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s appropriation process.

He noted that despite the executive’s public disowning of the agency, it was listed in the Appropriation Act under budget code 0111062001 with an allocation of N1,302,978,000.

“Senate notes that notwithstanding the executive’s public disapproval of this agency, the entity was incorporated in the 2026 Appropriation Act under Code 0111062001 with a budgetary allocation of N1,302,978,000, thereby raising serious questions regarding the integrity of the budget preparation and appropriation process,” he said.

According to Sumaila, the allocation included more than N800 million for personnel costs, over N200 million for overheads, and more than N300 million for capital expenditure.

He warned that appropriating public funds to an entity officially declared non-existent undermines public confidence in the budget process and exposes weaknesses in legislative scrutiny.

The senator urged the Senate to mandate its Committees on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, as well as Appropriations, to investigate how the allocation was proposed, scrutinised, justified and eventually approved.

He also sought an inquiry into whether any funds had already been released or spent under the budget line and whether any bank account had been opened or operated in connection with the allocation.

“This is the angle I am coming from—the angle of budget, which is our constitutional responsibility. I so submit, Mr President,” Sumaila said.

Responding, Barau maintained that the matter should have been introduced as a substantive motion through the Senate Committee on Rules and Business.

He added that since the Presidency had already directed the ICPC to investigate the controversy, there was no need for the Senate to launch a parallel probe.

“Like I said, distinguished colleagues, he came under privilege, and I thought this issue could have been brought through the Rules and Business Committee as a substantive motion,” Barau said.

“But, as I said earlier, the Presidency has taken up this matter by directing the ICPC to investigate fully how this happened.

“I think the ICPC has already commenced its work. What we need to do at this stage is to await the commission’s report, after which the Senate can take whatever action it considers appropriate.”

Barau subsequently put the matter to a voice vote, and the Senate unanimously adopted the position, effectively rejecting Sumaila’s request for an immediate investigation into the PFIPC budget allocation pending the outcome of the ICPC probe.