SERAP Urges Senate President And House Speaker To Drop Plan For Exotic Cars And ‘Palliatives’ For New Members, Calls For Budget Reduction

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to abandon the alleged plan to spend N40bn on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, as well as N70bn as ‘palliatives’ for new members.

SERAP has urged Akpabio and Abbas to repeal the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act and reduce the National Assembly budget by N110bn to align with the current economic realities in the country and address the impact of fuel subsidy removal on over 137 million poor Nigerians…CONTINUE READING

Additionally, SERAP has requested that President Bola Tinubu present a fresh supplementary appropriation bill, redirecting the N110 billion to address the situation of over 20 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, for the approval of the National Assembly.

In a letter dated 15 July 2023, signed by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization criticized the national assembly leadership for their alleged plan to spend N40bn on exotic cars and N70bn as ‘palliatives’ for new members, stating that it is a fundamental breach of their duties and a violation of the public trust.

SERAP emphasized that it is unacceptable for lawmakers to increase their own budget and use it to satisfy their lifestyle while a significant portion of the population lives in extreme poverty, exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy.

The organization highlighted the proposed purchase of 107 units of the 2023 model of Toyota Landcruiser for the Senate and 358 units of the 2023 model of Toyota Prado for the House of Representatives, in addition to official bulletproof vehicles for the four presiding officers of the National Assembly.

SERAP expressed concern that the proposed spending of N110 billion is on top of the N281 billion already allocated to lawmakers in the 2023 National Assembly budget, and urged for a reduction in the budget.

The organization also raised concerns about the potential increase in salaries and allowances for members.

SERAP has given a seven-day deadline for a response from Akpabio and Abbas, warning of legal action if their request is not complied with in the public interest.