The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, BudgIT, Enough is Enough, EiE, have filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking to restrain President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed from releasing N37billion budgeted for the renovation of the National Assembly complex.
In a statement on Sunday in Lagos, the SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare also disclosed that others joined in the suit include Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and the Federal Capital Development Agency, FCDA.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1633/2019, filed by Mr Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, last week, the plaintiffs argued: “The National Assembly complex should be a safe and conducive environment for those who work there.
“But spending ₦37 billion to renovate the place is not commensurate with the constitutional commitments to public services and goods; decreasing public revenues and increasing level of debts as well as the poor economic and social realities in the country.”
“Spending N37 billion to renovate the National Assembly complex is self-serving, wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds, as it means less money for educating millions of out-of-school Nigerian children, providing access to clean water and healthcare to Nigerians including the elderly, or repairing the country’s roads and bridges,” the plaintiff also argued.
