New Twist In Over N21m Unlawful Legislators’ Humongous Allowances
…As SERAP Sues Akpabio, Abbas
A new twist has been added to the humongous allowances of over N21 million monthly being collected by members of the National Assembly following a legal suit filed against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas challenging what is considered unlawful practice.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently blew the cover over the huge allowances that Senators and members of the House of Representatives fix for themselves contrary to the recommendation of the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
The suit against the duo of Akpabio and Abbas was initiated and filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over the failure of the two chambers of the National Assembly to end the unlawful practice by the National Assembly in fixing legislators’ allowances and running costs.
SERAP is also questioning the failure of Akpabio and Abbas to account for the monthly running costs paid to members of the National Assembly.
The two presiding officers are sued for themselves and on behalf of all members of the National Assembly as indicated in the suit filed by the lawyers to SERAP that included; Kolawole Oluwadare, Andrew Nwankwo, and Ms Blessing Ogwuche.
In the suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/1289/2024 filed on Friday, August 30, 2024, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is praying for an order of mandamus to direct and compel Akpabio and Abbas to end the apparently unlawful practice of the National Assembly fixing its remuneration and allowances hidden under ‘running cost’.”
It is also seeking for an order of mandamus to direct and compel both Akpabio and 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.
The suit is seeking among others; “An order of mandamus to direct and compel Akpabio and Abbas to end the alleged practice of paying remuneration and allowances termed as ‘running costs’ into the personal accounts of lawmakers.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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,” it stated.
SERAP noted that the allegations that lawmakers fixed their own salaries, allowances and running costs were 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.
