The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of neglecting to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding issue to relevant anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution. Additionally, SERAP asserts that Akpabio has failed to reinstate Senator Abdul Ningi, the whistleblower who exposed the budget padding allegations.
In a statement released by SERAP’s lawyers, the organization emphasizes its commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency in governance. The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeks to compel Akpabio to address the budget padding allegations and reinstate Senator Ningi, who was suspended for three months by the Senate.
Senator Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, raised concerns regarding discrepancies between the budget passed by the National Assembly and the one implemented by the Presidency for the 2024 fiscal year. He alleged that a substantial amount, approximately N3 trillion, was irregularly inserted into the budget for projects without designated locations, marking one of the most significant instances of budget padding in Nigerian history.
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The suit filed by SERAP requests an order of mandamus to prompt Akpabio to refer the alleged budget padding to anti-corruption agencies for thorough investigation and prosecution. It also seeks to ensure Ningi’s immediate reinstatement and the implementation of transparency measures to prevent misappropriation of public funds allocated for constituency projects.
SERAP argues that granting these requests would serve the public interest, encourage whistleblowers, and promote accountability in governance. The organization maintains that the suspension of Senator Ningi was unjust and constitutes retaliation against a whistleblower protected under international conventions against corruption.
While a date for the hearing is yet to be set, SERAP underscores the importance of addressing budget padding and corruption allegations to combat poverty and underdevelopment. It calls for comprehensive investigations and prosecutions to uphold the rule of law and strengthen democratic institutions.
In light of revelations by Senator Ningi and data from BudgIT, which highlights numerous irregularly inserted projects in the 2024 budget, SERAP’s legal action underscores the urgency of addressing systemic issues of corruption and ensuring responsible governance.
