The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to sue the National Assembly over failure to cut the alleged “proposed budget of N9.4bn on travels, refreshment/meals, and foodstuff/catering materials for the presidency, and the proposed N344.85bn for the lawmakers, and to use the savings to address the budget deficit.”
SERAP urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to cut the budget and request President Bola Tinubu to present a fresh supplementary appropriation bill, which reflects a reduced presidency budget and National Assembly budget, for the approval of the National Assembly.
This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP Deputy Director.
Cut down on alleged unnecessary spending
- In the letter dated 21 December 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization stated that any proposed unnecessary spending by the presidency and the National Assembly would amount to a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended].
- SERAP said the “proposed huge spending” on meals and travels is neither necessary nor in the public interest, especially in the face of the country’s dire economic situation and the level of proposed borrowing to fund the 2025 budget.
“The National Assembly has transparency obligations to disclose the details and breakdown of the proposed budget for the lawmakers. We urge you to publicly commit that the National Assembly will reduce and not increase its proposed budget of N344.85bn for 2025.”
“According to our information, the presidency has proposed N8.74 billion on both local and international trips for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in 2025.”
“The details are contained in the N47.9tn appropriation bill titled ‘Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity’ presented to the National Assembly this week by the president.”
“The Office of the President proposes N7,014,596,511 for travel and transport expenses. This includes N873,886,689 for local travel and transport and N6,140,709,822 for international travel and transport.”
“Both offices also plan to spend N546,215,080 on foodstuff/catering materials supplies and N71,431,389 on refreshments and meals in the coming year. The combined allocation for honorarium and sitting allowance across both offices is N87,576,661, “SERAP added.
Oluwadare stressed that the advocacy group will institute legal action against NASS if it fails to heed its request.
“Should the National Assembly and its leadership fail to reduce the unnecessary spending and tackle the systemic corruption in MDAs, SERAP would consider appropriate legal action to compel the National Assembly to discharge its constitutional oversight and fiduciary responsibilities,” SERAP threatened.
SERAP maintained that it would be a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for the members of the National Assembly to allegedly approve unnecessary spending for themselves and the presidency.
What you should know : SERAP is one of Nigeria’s leading public interest advocacy groups.
The organization also relies on litigation to seek the court’s intervention in cases of alleged infractions by government officials and public institutions.
