Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South Senatorial District, has dismissed calls for his suspension following the Senate’s rejection of his motion seeking an investigation into the budgetary allocation of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The lawmaker insisted that his actions were motivated by a commitment to transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s budget process, stressing that his concerns were not about the establishment of the agency but the circumstances surrounding its inclusion in the national budget.
According to Sumaila, while the President has the constitutional authority to establish government agencies, it is the responsibility of the National Assembly to scrutinise and approve budgetary allocations. He questioned who presented and defended the PFIPC’s budget before lawmakers and who authorised its inclusion in the appropriation process.
Responding to calls from some quarters demanding his suspension, the senator said he remained undeterred and would continue to perform his constitutional duties without fear or intimidation.
“Suspend who? What is suspension? I can live without the Senate. He is doing his work and I am doing my own,” Sumaila declared.
He maintained that legislators have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the National Assembly by asking difficult questions whenever concerns arise over the nation’s budgeting process.
Earlier, the Senate rejected Sumaila’s motion, which sought a comprehensive investigation into the budgetary allocation, operations and controversies surrounding the PFIPC. The motion, presented under Order 9 and Rule 9(c) of the Senate Standing Orders (2026), aimed to promote transparency and safeguard the credibility of both the National Assembly and the Federal Government.
Despite the setback, the Kano South senator reaffirmed his commitment to accountability, insisting that due process and transparency must remain at the heart of Nigeria’s budget implementation system.
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