A legal action has been instituted against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, as a result of their alleged failure to disclose, clarify and explain the details of the N344.85 billion National Assembly budget, and the rationale for several budget items, such as the N6 billion budgeted for two car parks.
The suit was initiated by a Lagos-based rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
They were dragged to court for themselves and on behalf of all members of the National Assembly.
SERAP in its suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/178/2024, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, is praying for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to disclose, clarify and explain details of the N344.85 billion National Assembly budget in the Appropriation Act 2024.
“An order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to disclose, clarify and explain the details of the N8.5 billion budgeted for ‘National Assembly liabilities’ in the Appropriation Act 2024 and the nature of any such liabilities and how and why they have been incurred.
“An order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to disclose, clarify and explain details of the proposed spending of the N3 billion for the ‘Senate Car Park’ and N3 billion for the House of Representatives Car Park in the Appropriation Act 2024.”
SERAP argued before the court that “Details of spending of public funds by the National Assembly have been mostly shrouded in secrecy”, adding that Nigerians have the right to know the details of the budget by the lawmakers, and the rationale for the budget.”
In the suit filed through its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Andrew Nwankwo, disclosing, clarifying and explaining the details of the proposed spending of the National Assembly budget would allow Nigerians to scrutinize it, and monitor the spending of the budget to ensure that the money is not mismanaged, diverted or stolen.
As of the time of filing this report, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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