36 state governors under investigation over N72bn subsidy palliative
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action against the 36 state governors, alleging their failure to disclose the spending details of N72 billion subsidy palliative funds received from the Federal Government.
The group claims that the governors have not provided information regarding the beneficiaries and the relief measures implemented with the allocated funds.
As part of the palliative package to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal, the Federal Government had disbursed N2 billion to each state in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
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In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1943/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel each of the 36 state governors to account for the spending of the N2 billion palliative collected by the governors from the Federal Government.”
The group wants the court to issue “an order of mandamus to direct and compel each of the 36 state governors to disclose details of the beneficiaries and the reliefs provided to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians with the money.”
It also seeks “an order of mandamus to direct and compel each of the 36 state governors to instruct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor the spending of fuel subsidy palliative collected by them.”
READ ALSO: FG implements N5bn palliative for each State to mitigate petrol subsidy removal
“Government secrecy is fundamentally anti-democratic. Secrecy in the spending of the N72 billion collected by the 36 state governors would create distrust or suspicion of the government. The failure by the governors to account for the public funds is both legally and morally wrong.
“The 36 state governors are constitutionally required to act in the public interest. Secrecy in government is a form of coercion. Government secrecy promotes arbitrariness and covers illegal acts,” the statement read.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.