The PFIPC Scandal and the Senate’s Shameful Cover-Up

The Senate’s decision on Wednesday to reject a motion probing the N1.3 billion allocation to the phantom Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council is not just a failure of oversight, it is an act of complicity in an organized crime against the Nigerian people. Senator Kawu Sumaila (APC, Kano South) raised a legitimate point of order, asking how an agency that the Presidency itself has publicly disowned was allocated N1,302,978,000 under Budget Code 0111062001 in the 2026 Appropriation Act. The allocation breaks down to over N800 million for personnel costs, N200 million for overheads, and N300 million for capital expenditure. Yet Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over plenary, shut down the debate, insisting that the Senate should await the outcome of an investigation already ordered by President Bola Tinubu.

The hypocrisy is staggering. By deferring to the executive’s investigation, the Senate has abdicated its constitutional oversight and appropriation responsibilities. The question must be asked: if the PFIPC is truly a “fake” agency with no legal basis, how did it secure office space within the Federal Secretariat, open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, and appear in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a N1.3 billion allocation? The Presidency claims Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew forged appointment letters and official documents to present himself as the director-general of this fictitious council. However, Mr Adeyemi has denied preparing the budget, stating he was in police detention during the period the budget was being processed. He has expressed confusion about how the agency’s budget found its way into the national budget without anyone defending it. The police have launched a manhunt for him. But the Senate is not asking the hard questions: who inserted this phantom agency into the budget? Who facilitated its inclusion? The House of Representatives has taken the opposite approach, resolving to investigate and summoning the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning and the Director-General of the Budget Office. The House is also investigating how the alleged budgetary provision entered the 2026 Appropriation Framework, tracing it from the executive budget proposal through legislative consideration.

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The Senate’s decision to reject the probe confirms that it is nothing but President Tinubu’s shield and armor. When it comes to embezzling Nigeria’s money, these crooks do not differentiate between Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba. The N1.3 billion PFIPC scandal is a crime against every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity or religion. But when it comes to electing them, they make sure you understand the difference between Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba. The tribal noise is nothing but a deliberate act of distraction and manipulation, ensuring that ordinary citizens engage themselves in stupid tribal arguments while the crooked politicians siphon the treasures for themselves and their families. The PFIPC scandal is not an isolated incident. It is a symptom of a systemic rot that has eaten deep into the fabric of our nation. It is the same pattern of organized crime that has seen billions of naira stolen through ghost workers, phantom contracts, and inflated budgets. The corrupt politicians in the government do not care about Nigeria. They do not care that the country can burn to ashes as long as they are allowed to stand on “your mandate.”

The Senate’s rejection of the probe is a clear signal that they are complicit in this organized crime. By refusing to investigate the N1.3 billion allocation, they are protecting themselves and their cronies. They are telling Nigerians that they do not care about accountability or transparency. They are telling us that they are above the law. But we must not let them get away with it. Nigerians must rise above our differences and face our common enemy: the corrupt and evil politicians in the government. We must demand that the Senate reverse its decision and launch a comprehensive investigation into the PFIPC scandal. We must also demand that the ICPC investigation, ordered by President Tinubu, be thorough and transparent. The ICPC has been directed to investigate the alleged forgery, the movement of funds, the bank accounts, any collaborators, possible involvement of public officials, and the loopholes that may have enabled the alleged scheme. Anyone found culpable must be treated strictly in accordance with the law.

The PFIPC scandal is a wake-up call for all Nigerians. It is a reminder that the fight against corruption is not a fight for the elite or the politicians, it is a fight for the survival of our nation. We must not allow ourselves to be distracted by tribal and religious differences. We must stand together and demand accountability from our leaders. We must make it clear that we will no longer tolerate the plundering of our commonwealth. The Senate’s decision is a betrayal of the Nigerian people. It is a shameful cover-up that cannot be allowed to stand. The N1.3 billion PFIPC scandal is a crime against Nigeria, and those responsible must be brought to justice.

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