SERAP sues Akpabio, Abbas over lawmakers’ ‘Running Costs’
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, accusing them of unlawfully determining the running costs and allowances for lawmakers. The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, calls into question the financial practices of the National Assembly, particularly in relation to how lawmakers’ remuneration is structured and disbursed.
The legal action stems from recent allegations made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who asserted that members of the National Assembly have been setting their own salaries and allowances, a practice that allegedly bypasses the guidelines set by the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC). Obasanjo’s claims have reignited public scrutiny and debate over the financial autonomy and transparency of the legislative body.
In a statement released on Friday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, explained that the lawsuit aims to compel Akpabio and Abbas to put an end to what SERAP describes as the “unlawful practice” of the National Assembly fixing its own allowances and running costs. The organization is also seeking a judicial order that would mandate the disclosure of the exact amount of monthly running costs paid to lawmakers, as well as detailed spending reports for these funds.
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SERAP’s lawsuit further demands an end to the alleged practice of depositing these running costs into the personal bank accounts of lawmakers. This practice, according to SERAP, is a clear violation of Rule 713 of the Federal Government Financial Regulations, which explicitly states that public money must not be paid into private accounts.
“The provisions of paragraph N, section 32(d) of the Third Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] clearly make it unlawful for the National Assembly to fix its salaries, allowances, and running costs,” Oluwadare emphasized in the statement. He added that the ongoing practice not only undermines financial accountability but also breaches the constitutional mandate that the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission is the body responsible for determining the salaries and allowances of public officials, including lawmakers.
The lawsuit by SERAP is the latest in a series of actions aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s government institutions. It reflects growing public concern over the financial management within the National Assembly, an issue that has long been a subject of controversy and criticism.
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