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SERAP sues Akpabio, Abbas over failure to clarify details of N344.85bn NASS budget

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a legal action against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, as a result of their failure to disclose, clarify and explain the details of N344.85 billion National Assembly budget, and the rationale for several budget items, such as the N6 billion budgeted for two car parks.

Specifically, Akpabio and Abbas are sued for themselves and on behalf of all members of the National Assembly.

SERAP in its suit designated 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.”

In its argument before the court, the human rights group posited 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.”

According to SERAP in its suit initiated by 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.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

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Written by Jude Diugwu

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