The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, over “the failure to end the apparently unlawful practice by the National Assembly of fixing its allowances and running costs, and the failure to account for the monthly running costs paid to members.”
Senator Akpabio and Hon. Abbas are sued for themselves and on behalf of all members of the National Assembly.
According to reports, former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently alleged that the lawmakers fix their own salaries and allowances, contrary to the recommendation of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1289/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to end the apparently unlawful practice of the National Assembly fixing its remuneration and allowances termed as ‘running cost’.”
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 any 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.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing 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 arguing 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.’”
According to SERAP, “‘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.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “The allegations that lawmakers are fixing their own salaries, allowances and running costs are entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the constitutional oath of office and the object and purpose of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.”
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.
“Nigerians have a right to scrutinize how their lawmakers spend their tax money and the commonwealth. Nigerians also have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers.”
“Ending the reported practice by lawmakers of fixing their salaries, allowances and running costs would improve public confidence in the integrity and honesty of the National Assembly.”
“Constitutional oath of office requires public officials including lawmakers to abstain from all improper acts, such as fixing their own salaries, allowances and running costs, that are inconsistent with the public trust.”
“It is a travesty and a fundamental breach of their fiduciary duties for members of the National Assembly to fix their own salaries, allowances and running costs.”
“Rule 713 of the Federal Government Financial Regulations provides: ‘Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account.’”
“In the Seventh Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution, lawmakers commit to strive to ‘preserve the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution’, [and to] perform their ‘functions honestly, faithfully’, to act ‘always in the interest of the well-being and prosperity of Nigeria’.”
“Lawmakers also commit to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of Nigeria; and abide by the Code of Conduct contained in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution.’”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.