The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, are the targets of a lawsuit brought by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over “the unlawful plan to spend N40 billion on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, and N70 billion as “palliatives” for new members.”
The lawsuit was filed shortly after Akpabio claimed that the National Assembly Clerk had transferred “holiday allowances” to “various senators’ bank accounts.”
Nigeria’s 137 million people live in abject poverty.
SERAP is requesting a mandamus order to direct and compel Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas to review and reduce the N40 billion budgeted to buy 465 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials in the lawsuit FHC/L/CS/1606/2023, which was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
In order to direct and compel Akpabio and Mr. Abbas to rescind the Supplementary Appropriations Act 2022, the group is also requesting a mandamus order.
Part of the lawsuit that SERAP’s attorneys Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms. Blessing Ogwuche filed on its behalf read as follows:
“The plan to spend N110bn is a fundamental breach of constitutional and international human rights obligations.
“The planned spending of N110bn is a breach of section 57 (4) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 which provides that: ‘All persons in whose hands public funds may be entrusted for whatever purpose should bear in mind that its utilization should be Judicious.’”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.