A Socio-Economic Rights group known as Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has filed a suit FHC/ABJ/CS/366/2021, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on the allegation of missing N4. 4bn budgeted for the National Assembly and to seek an order of the court to direct Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila to perform their constitutional duties.
The group accused the Senate President and the House of Representatives Speaker over their failure to probe the allegation of the missing N4. 4bn budgeted for the National Assembly.
In the suit, the group accused their refusal to refer the matter to the appropriate Anti-corruption agencies after the Auditor-General of the Federation has raised concern over the misappropriation of the funds.
In the suit, the group seeks to vindicate the rule of law, the public interest, and the promotion of transparency and accountability.
The group seeks to drag Government agencies and institutions for their responsibilities to a court of justice for the lawfulness of what they do.
The group argues that the court is the only judge, and that, the National Assembly has no legally justifiable reason to refuse to investigate the allegations documented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.”
In a statement by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, alleged that the National Assembly has a legal responsibility to ensure that the allegations of corruption and mismanagement were promptly, independently, thoroughly, and transparently investigated after been documented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
The statement also read, “The failure of the National Assembly to promptly and thoroughly investigate and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies the allegations documented in the annual audited reports for 2015, 2017 and 2018 is a fundamental breach of the oversight and public interest duties imposed on the legislative body by sections 4, 88 and 89 of the Nigerian Constitution.”
“This suit seeks to vindicate the rule of law, the public interest, and to promote transparency and accountability. Government agencies and institutions are responsible to a court of justice for the lawfulness of what they do, and of that, the court is the only judge. The National Assembly has no legally justifiable reason to refuse to investigate the allegations documented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.”
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