SERAP Drags Akpabio, Abbas to Court Over National Assembly Running Costs

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the lawsuit challenges the alleged unlawful practice by the National Assembly of setting its own allowances and running costs without transparency or accountability.

This legal action follows allegations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that lawmakers have been fixing their own salaries and allowances, ignoring the recommendations of the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).

Filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the suit (numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1289/2024) seeks to compel Akpabio and Abbas to end the National Assembly’s practice of determining its remuneration and allowances, referred to as “running costs.”

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SERAP is also demanding the disclosure of the exact monthly running costs paid to lawmakers and a detailed account of how these funds are spent.

The organization argues that the practice of paying running costs into the personal accounts of lawmakers violates Rule 713 of the Federal Government Financial Regulations, which prohibits the payment of public funds into private bank accounts.

Furthermore, SERAP contends that this practice breaches the Nigerian Constitution and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a signatory.

The lawsuit emphasizes the constitutional oath of office taken by lawmakers, which requires them to act transparently and accountably, ensuring their actions serve the public interest rather than personal gain.

SERAP asserts that the reported practice of lawmakers fixing their own salaries and allowances undermines public trust in the National Assembly and is inconsistent with the principles of good governance.

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The organization is also calling for any misused or mismanaged running costs to be accounted for and returned, arguing that such actions would restore public confidence in democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law.

SERAP seeks an order compelling Akpabio and Abbas to refer allegations of misuse of running costs to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and possible prosecution.

SERAP

The lawsuit stressed the need for public officials, including lawmakers, to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability in managing public resources. It also stresses the importance of transparency in the use of taxpayer money, arguing that Nigerians have a right to scrutinize how their lawmakers spend public funds.

Filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Andrew Nwankwo, and Ms. Blessing Ogwuche, the suit reads in part: “Directing and compelling the lawmakers to account for and return any misused or mismanaged running costs they collected would build trust in democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law.”

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