Kano Senator Calls for Senate Investigation into N1.3bn Budget Allocation

The Senator for Kano South, Kawu Sumaila, said on Wednesday that the Senate should investigate the N1.3bn budget allocation to the supposed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. This call comes even as the Senate has decided to wait for the outcome of the ongoing probe ordered by President Bola Tinubu.

Sumaila spoke to journalists after the Senate session. This was just hours after the Senate turned down his request for an independent investigation into how the council, which the Presidency claims does not exist, got funding in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

He said his worry is not about whether the agency was created but about the integrity of how the National Assembly handles the budget. He wants to know how this money got into the national budget.

Sumaila stated, "I am more concerned about the budget because it directly affects our National Assembly. Constitutionally, we are empowered to make a budget for Nigeria. The executive will lay a proposal before us, and then we will start working on it from A to Z."

He added, "Therefore, to our surprise, this issue came up that there is a hidden budget, which may have been released. Therefore, I drew the attention of the Senate to the need to constitute a committee, either ad hoc or standing, to find out what really happened."

The senator explained, "We have two ways of arriving at how a budget can be inserted. One, it may come from the executive, and, definitely, it can also come from us. In the course of our budgetary process, the National Assembly constitutionally has the power to add, subtract, change or amend the budget."

He continued, "Therefore, I am more concerned to know whether the proposal, which included that agency, came from the executive. But if it is from the National Assembly, who is responsible for pushing or facilitating its inclusion in the national budget? This is what I am after."

Sumaila welcomed President Tinubu’s order for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the matter. But he insisted that the legislature also has a duty to find out how the budget was approved.

He said, "But I am happy that Mr President has called for a comprehensive investigation and constituted a committee to probe the issue. But we have three arms of government. On our part, my main concern is the budget."

The senator stressed, "Mr President can constitute or create an agency without the approval of the National Assembly. Constitutionally, he is empowered to do so. Therefore, I am no longer concerned about that one. What we are concerned about is who facilitated the inclusion of that agency in the national budget, which is our constitutional responsibility. This is what I am asking."

Sumaila said he presented his concerns to the Senate. He noted, "But you all saw what happened in the Red Chamber today."

Despite the Senate's refusal to act on his request, he said he would keep pushing for accountability regarding the budget allocation.

He stated, "The most important thing is that I have already communicated to the Senate that there is a need for us to investigate this matter. I am not satisfied with only allowing Mr President’s order for the ICPC probe. But I think we have the right to constitute our independent investigation committee."

He explained, "I want you to understand that I am not talking about the whole saga or the creation of the agency. My concern is that the power of appropriation lies in the National Assembly. Therefore, we exercised that power by approving the inclusion of that agency in our budget. I just want to be sure who is responsible for facilitating the inclusion."

He went on, "If it is from the National Assembly, we can understand. If it is from the Budget Office to the Villa to the National Assembly, we can understand. It will help the committee constituted by the President to find out the cause of this matter."

Sumaila concluded, "They must tell us where the budget emanated from. Yes, I have done my part as a member. Mr President has played his part. Posterity will judge us all, including those who don’t like what we are doing. We are all Nigerians, and we are working in line with the provisions of the Constitution."

Earlier on Wednesday, the Senate decided not to start a new investigation into the budget allocation. Instead, they will wait for the ICPC probe ordered by Tinubu to finish.

Sumaila had raised a point of order asking the Senate to look into how the supposed agency got N1.302bn under budget code 0111062001 in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite the Presidency claiming it was never set up by the Federal Government.

However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who led the session, said the matter should be a formal motion. He argued that the Senate should let the anti-graft agency finish its investigation before taking any more steps.

This issue came after President Tinubu's order on Tuesday for the ICPC to investigate the activities of the supposed council. The Presidency called the council fictitious and said it has no legal basis.

The Presidency also ordered the ICPC to look into claims that Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew falsely claimed to be the council’s Director-General. He allegedly used forged government documents, opened bank accounts in the names of non-existent government agencies, and sought official recognition and diplomatic support.