Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the leadership of the National Assembly before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged refusal of the lawmakers to cut their N228.1 billion 2023 budget.
SERAP asked the court for an order of mandamus directing the senate president, Ahmad Lawan and the speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to review and reduce the budget of N228.1 billion the leadership and members of the National Assembly allocated for their own benefit.
The group also urged the court for an order restraining and stopping the minister of finance, budget and national planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed from releasing the budget to the National Assembly, until an impact assessment of the spending on access to public goods and services and the country’s debt crisis, is carried out.
The applicant further wants the court to grant an order restraining and stopping Lawan and Gbajabiamila from demanding or collecting the budget, until an impact assessment of the spending on access to public goods and services and the country’s debt crisis, is carried out.
Joined in the suit as defendants are President Muhammadu Buhari, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the minister of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed.
In an affidavit attached to the suit, SERAP averred that it is a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for the members of the National Assembly to increase their own budget at a time when some 133 million Nigerians are living in poverty.
The organisation also stated that the National Assembly budget of N228.1bn is higher than the statutory transfer to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which is N103.3billion.
It further claimed that the increase is unreasonable, as it would substantially increase the cost of governance, and exacerbate the country’s debt crisis, adding that it is unlawful, and unfair to the Nigerian people.
The applicant is also arguing that cutting the National Assembly budget would reduce the growing budget deficit, address the unsustainable debt burden, and serve the public interest.
It also maintained that by increasing its own budget, the National Assembly has unjustifiably and disproportionately reduced the budget for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
SERAP also prayed that it is a travesty, especially given that Nigeria currently has over 20 million out-of-school children, and half of all poor people in the country are children.
The applicant stated, “The budget should reflect national development priorities, and not serve as a tool to satisfy the lifestyle of lawmakers or provide them with severance payments or parting gifts.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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