The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted legal action against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, over their alleged failure to account for N18.6 billion allocated for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) Office Complex.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas.
Filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2457/2025, comes on the heels of disturbing revelations in the 2022 annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, released on September 9, 2025. The report flagged alleged irregularities, inflated contracts, and questionable payments linked to the project.
SERAP is suing Akpabio and Abbas on behalf of all members of the National Assembly, with the NASC also joined as a respondent. The organisation is seeking an order of mandamus compelling the respondents to disclose the whereabouts of the N18.6 billion reportedly paid to a “fictitious construction company” and to release all procurement documents related to the project, including bid advertisements, quotations, contract agreements, Tender Board minutes and Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval.
The organisation is also seeking the disclosure of the identity of the company that allegedly collected the funds.
SERAP argued that the allegations amount to a grave breach of public trust and violate provisions of the 1999 Constitution and international anti-corruption standards. It noted that Nigerians have a fundamental right to know how public funds are utilised, insisting that granting the reliefs sought would strengthen institutional integrity and advance the rule of law.
In the suit filed by its lawyers—Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo—SERAP stated that the National Assembly bears a constitutional responsibility to uphold transparency and accountability in public finance management. Compelling the legislature to fully account for the funds, it added, would help restore public confidence in its oversight functions.
According to the Auditor-General’s report, the NASC paid over N11.6 billion on 11 August 2020 to an “unknown construction company” for the construction of its office complex within 24 months. Another N6.9 billion was reportedly paid on 29 November 2023 for the “conversion of the roof garden to office space”, in what auditors described as contract inflation.
The report further revealed that both contracts were awarded without basic procurement processes, including needs assessment, newspaper advertisement, bidding, contract agreements, bidders’ quotations, FEC approval, or a Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Certificate of No Objection. The Auditor-General warned that the entire ₦18.6 billion may have been misappropriated or diverted.
SERAP maintained that the alleged violations reflect a continuing failure by the National Assembly and its commission to uphold transparency and accountability standards. It stressed that granting the reliefs sought would help ensure that individuals implicated in any diversion or mismanagement are held accountable, and may facilitate the recovery of misused public funds.
The organisation added that corruption continues to impose severe economic and social burdens on vulnerable Nigerians by weakening public services, deepening poverty and eroding trust in institutions. It cited constitutional obligations—particularly Sections 13, 15(5), 16(1)(a)(b) and 16(2)—which mandate public institutions to curb corruption and promote national prosperity.
SERAP also referenced Nigeria’s commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption, which require accountability and proper management of public resources.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
