The Senate is expected to address the controversy surrounding the N1.3 billion allocation to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in the 2026 Appropriation Act as plenary resumes on Tuesday.
Investigations revealed that a forged appointment letter bearing a falsified signature of Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila was accepted at the Civil Service Headquarters without adequate verification, securing Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew an office at the Federal Secretariat and giving the agency legitimacy for over a year.
The N1.3bn allocation was reportedly approved without Adeyemi or any official appearing before the Senate Committee to defend the budget. Multiple government institutions, including the Budget Office, the House of Representatives, and the Civil Service Headquarters, failed to conduct due diligence.
SERAP has demanded documents on the allocation, while opposition parties and civil society are calling for an independent investigation. Adeyemi is due to appear in court on July 27.
Key Points:
The scandal exposes systemic failures across multiple government institutions
A forged appointment letter bypassed multiple bureaucratic safeguards
The N1.3bn budget allocation was approved without proper oversight
Opposition parties and civil society are demanding accountability
Senior lawyers say Gbajabiamila should not be charged based on sentiment alone
The Senate will address the controversy on Tuesday. Adeyemi is due in court on July 27. Nigerians await accountability and transparency.
Sources: Punch, Senate
