The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project 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”.
According to the court documents, Akpabio and Abbas are sued for themselves and on behalf of members of the National Assembly.
It will be recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently alleged that the lawmakers fix their own salaries and allowances, contrary to the recommendation of the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission.
The suit with registration number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1289/2024, was filed on Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja by the lawyers of SERAP: Kolawole Oluwadare, Andrew Nwankwo and Blessing Ogwuche.
It reads 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.
“SERAP is seeking: an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to refer the allegations on the misuse of the running costs received by members to appropriate anticorruption agencies for investigation and prosecution where there is relevant admissible evidence.
“The country’s international legal obligations especially under the UN Convention against Corruption impose a legal commitment on public officials including lawmakers to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully.
“The convention specifically in paragraph 1 of article 8 requires members to promote integrity, honesty and responsibility in the management of public resources.
“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.’
“SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’
“According to our information, members of the National Assembly are currently fixing their own salaries, allowances and running costs. The running costs are reportedly paid directly into the personal accounts of members.
“Senator Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South Senatorial District, recently disclosed in an interview with BBC Hausa that each Nigerian senator earns at least N21 million monthly in running costs, salaries, and allowances.
“Mr Sumaila reportedly said, ‘My monthly salary is less than N1 million. After deductions, the figure comes down to a little over N600,000. Given the increase effected in the Senate, each senator gets N21 million every month as running cost.’”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
