SERAP described the plan of the NASS members to purchase exotic cars as an apparent conflict of interest and self-dealing.
Akpabio, Abbas given 7-day ultimatum to drop plan to spend ₦110bn on Bulletproof cars.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has warned the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to jettison the planned ₦110bn spending on new vehicles for members of the National Assembly.
The organisation made the call in a letter dated July 15, 2023, and signed by its DeputyDirector, Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP also lamented the situation whereby ₦70bn has been earmarked as a 'support allowance' to 306 new lawmakers while only ₦500bn worth of palliative is being proposed as a relief package to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
The organisation asked, therefore, asked Akpabio and 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.”
SERAP urged them 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.”
As stated in the letter, the organisation wants the NASS principal officers 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.”
According to reports, “While N70 billion ‘support allowance’ is budgeted for 306 new lawmakers, only N500 billion worth of palliatives is budgeted for 12 million poor Nigerians. N40 billion is also allocated to buy 465 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials,” it added.
SERAP threatened that, if the recommended measures were not implemented within seven days of the letter, it will take appropriate legal actions to ensure compliance.
The letter, read in part: “This travesty, and apparent conflicts of interest and self-dealing by members of the National Assembly must stop.
Comments