The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated legal action against the leadership of the National Assembly regarding what it characterizes as the inappropriate determination of lawmakers’ running costs.
The suit names Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas as co-defendants.
SERAP alleges that both officials have failed to put an end to the “unlawful practice” wherein the National Assembly sets its own allowances and operational costs, as well as the lack of accountability for the monthly running costs disbursed to its members.
In a statement released on Friday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, revealed that the lawsuit was filed the previous Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He stated that the legal action was prompted by recent allegations from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who claimed that lawmakers set their own salaries and allowances, contrary to the recommendations made by the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
In the lawsuit, SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus” to mandate Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas to put an end to the unlawful practice of the National Assembly determining its own remuneration and allowances, referred to as ‘running costs.’
Additionally, the group is requesting “an order of mandamus” to compel Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas to disclose the precise amounts of the monthly running costs received by lawmakers, along with detailed accounts of how these funds are spent.
The statement indicates that SERAP is requesting “an order of mandamus” to direct and compel Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas to terminate the alleged practice of depositing remuneration and allowances, referred to as ‘running costs,’ into the personal accounts of lawmakers.
