The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has sued the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila over failure to reduce the 2023 National Assembly budget before it was passed and assented by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The NASS budget of N228 billion was considered too outrageous by the rights group.
The group’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said, the NASS initial 2023 budget of N169 billion was jerked up to N228 billion before it was passed into law, hence, they are demanding the two leaders to review.
According to them, it was an increase of
N59.1 billion which the ountry’s budget of N21.83 trillion is based on a N10.49 trillion revenue, and N11.34 trillion deficit.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/152/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Dr Lawan and Mr 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 litigation documents also indicated that the Minister of Finance,. Udget and National Planning , Mrs Zainab Ahmed should withhold the NASS pending the outcome of impact analysis.
The rights group argued that Nigerian government cannot to fund lavish style of lawakers at the expense of education
They said, the two leader increased the budget amid poverty and misery of citizens.
SERAP said cutting NASS budget would address the nation’s debt burden and serve public interest.
