Akpabio Faces Legal Action Over Failure To Recall Ningi, Refer N3.7trn Budget Padding To EFCC, ICPC

A Lagos-based rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a legal action against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio for failing to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution, and to recall Senator Abdul Ningi who blew the whistle on the allegations.

The group specifically sued Akpabio for himself and on behalf of all members of the red chamber of the National Assembly.

Senator Ningi had last month been suspended for three months over his allegations that the 2024 budget was padded by over N3 trillion and that the country is operating two budgets.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/452/202, instituted at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is praying to the court for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.

“An order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to immediately take steps to ensure the reinstatement of whistleblower Abdul Ningi who was suspended from the Senate over his allegations that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.

“An order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to put in place transparency and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the trillions of Naira budgeted for constituency projects are not embezzled, misappropriated or diverted into private pockets.”

In the suit, SERAP insisted that granting the application would serve the public interest, encourage whistleblowers to speak up, improve public services, and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources, with an addition that “directing Mr Akpabio to refer these allegations to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies and to reinstate whistleblower Abdul Ningi would be entirely consistent and compatible with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and the country’s international obligations.”

The human rights organization contended that “the allegations by Senator Ningi amount to public interest disclosures and can contribute to strengthening transparency and democratic accountability in the Senate in particular and the country as a whole.”

According to SERAP, “Suspension of Senator Ningi by the Senate followed a seriously flawed process, and it amounts to retaliation.

“Senator Ningi’s status as a whistleblower is not diminished even if the perceived threat to the public interest has not materialized, since he would seem to have reasonable grounds to believe in the accuracy of the allegations of budget padding and corruption in the Senate.”

As of the time of filing this report, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

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