SERAP gives Akpabio, Abbas seven days to suspend plans to spend N110b on bulletproof cars, others’

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP has called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas “to drop the scandalous plan to spend N40bn on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, and N70bn as ‘palliatives’ for new members.”

This was contained in a letter dated 15th of July, 2023 and was signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the social right organization argued that while N70 billion ‘support allowance’ is budgeted for 306 new lawmakers, only N500 billion worth of palliatives is budgeted for 12 million poor Nigerians while N40 billion is also allocated to buy 465 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.

In its statement, the group further urged the lawmakers to “repeal the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act to reduce the budget for the National Assembly by N110bn, reflect the current economic realities in the country and address the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy on the over 137 million poor Nigerians.”  

SERAP also urged the chambers to “request President Bola Tinubu to present a fresh supplementary appropriation bill, to redirect the N110 billion to address the situation of the over 20 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, for the approval of the National Assembly.”

The letter in part reads;

“This travesty and apparent conflicts of interest and self-dealing by members of the National Assembly must stop. It is a fundamental breach of their fiduciary duties for members of the National Assembly to arbitrarily increase their own budget and to use the budget as a tool to satisfy the lifestyle of lawmakers.

It is a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for members of the National Assembly to unjustifiably increase their own budget at a time when over 137 million poor Nigerians are living in extreme poverty exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy.

We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you, National Assembly.”