A Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled that the National Assembly acted unlawfully in spending N110 billion on luxury vehicles and support allowances for lawmakers, saying the expenditure failed to comply with procurement laws and did not serve the public interest.
In a judgment delivered on May 6, Justice Yellim Bogoro nullified the N40 billion used to purchase 465 Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for federal lawmakers and the N70 billion paid as support allowances to legislators elected in 2023.
The case, marked FHC/L/CS/1606/2023, was filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the National Assembly.
The court also directed Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to ensure that future spending and procurement by the National Assembly strictly follow due process, transparency, accountability and value-for-money principles.
Justice Bogoro held that the large expenditure could not be justified because there was no evidence that proper procurement procedures were followed.
According to the judge, the spending was arbitrary and amounted to a conflict of interest because the lawmakers who approved the expenditure were also the direct beneficiaries.
He noted that Nigeria is currently facing serious economic challenges and widespread hardship, making the allocation of such a huge amount for the benefit of lawmakers difficult to justify.
“The beneficiaries of the expenditure are the same officials who approved it. This creates a clear conflict of interest and raises concerns about self-dealing,” the judge said.
The court rejected arguments that the judiciary should not interfere in legislative spending because of the principle of separation of powers.
Justice Bogoro stated that while the legislature has its independence, such independence cannot be used to shield actions that violate the law.
He further ruled that the expenditure breached Section 57(4) of the Public Procurement Act 2007, which requires transparency, accountability and due process in public procurement.
The judge said the National Assembly failed to provide sufficient evidence showing compliance with procurement regulations, including competitive bidding and value-for-money assessments.
According to the court, the defendants did not effectively challenge the allegations brought against them and were therefore deemed to have admitted them.
The ruling represents a significant victory for SERAP and reinforces the responsibility of public institutions to manage public funds in accordance with the law.
The judgment also serves as a reminder that government spending, regardless of the institution involved, must be transparent, accountable and focused on the public interest, especially at a time when many Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
