The Socio Economic Rights and Accountability project (SERAP) has sued the National Assembly leadership over the failure to end”. Unlawful practice of fixing its monthly allowances as the running cost paid to lawmakers and the failure to give details account of the spending.
The Senate president, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Reps.Tajudeen Abbas,were joined in the suit.
In the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1289/2024 filed last Friday
According to the statement ,SERAP ‘s Deputy Director, Kalawole Oluwadsre,said the suit was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court,Abuja.
Claimed by the group seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Akpabio and Abbas to end the unlawful practice of the National Assembly fixing its remunerate and allowances titled as ‘ running cost ”
Following to the allegations made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that lawmakers have been fixing their own salaries and allowances, disregarding the recommendations of the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
Following the above allegation; SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to disclose the exact amount of the monthly running costs being paid to and received by the lawmakers, and the spending details of such running costs.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to end the alleged practice of paying remuneration and allowances termed as ‘running costs’ into the personal accounts of lawmakers.”
SERAP is saying that, “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.”
SERAP is also argued that, “the alleged practice of paying running costs into the personal accounts of lawmakers is a fundamental breach of Rule 713 of the Federal Government Financial Regulations, which provides that ‘public money shall not be paid into a private bank account.’”
In the suit , SERAP, argued that: “‘Public function’ means activities in the public interest, not against it. The reports that lawmakers are fixing their own salaries, allowances and running costs amount to private self-interest or self-dealing. It is also detrimental to the public interest.”
SERAP said, “The constitutional oath of office of lawmakers requires them to ensure transparency and accountability in the exact amounts of salaries, allowances and running costs they receive.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Andrew Nwankwo, and Ms Blessing Ogwuche, read in part: “Directing and compelling the lawmakers to account for and return any misused or mismanaged running costs they collected would build trust in democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law.”
