The Social-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action by urging the Federal High Court in Lagos to prevent Nigerian legislators from procuring and taking delivery of 360 SUVs worth N57.6 billion, pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction filed by the organization.
SERAP filed a lawsuit after it received a report that the Nigerian Senate leader Godswill Akpabio and the speaker of the House of Representatives Tajuden Abbas are planning to splash N40 billion on 465 exotic bulletproof vehicles.
Reports reveal that each SUVs will cost taxpayers at least N160 million. In a letter dated 21 October 2023, the organization urged the presidency to exercise his executive powers to refrain the lawmakers from taking delivery of the planned procurement of bulletproof SUVs.
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The letter reads in part,
“Allowing the National Assembly to go ahead and purchase and take delivery of the SUVs would prejudice the outcome of the suit pending in court and make a mockery of the rule of law. Unless you exercise your executive powers and discharge your constitutional oath of office act as recommended, the lawmakers would go ahead to procure and take delivery of the N57.6 billion vehicles, and thereby present the court with a fait accompli.
“It would invariably hamstring the ability of the court to do justice in the pending suit and applications for an injunction. Stopping the leadership of the House of Representatives and members from going ahead to procure and take delivery of the SUVs, pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction would be entirely consistent with the notions of the rule of law, judicial independence, and integrity and the public interest.
“Exercising your constitutional powers in this matter would promote the effective administration of justice and maintaining the integrity of the claims against the lawmakers. Allowing the House of Representatives to procure and take delivery of the 360 SUVs for its members and the Senate to go ahead with its planned purchase of close to 500 SUVs while the applications for injunction are pending before the court would be detrimental to the rule of law and the public interest. We would therefore be grateful if the recommended measures are taken upon the receipt and/or publication of this letter.”
SERAP further stated that the Tinubu-led administration must uphold the rule of law and the integrity of the judicial process as demanded under the United Nations Convention against Corruption and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.
Founded in 2004, SERAP has remained dedicated to promoting transparency and accountability in the use of Nigeria’s natural resources. The organization believes that Nigeria’s large natural resource base should be used to meet the basic needs of its population.
Notably, also reacting to the Nigerian lawmakers proposed procurement of exotic SUVs, public affairs analyst Marcus Ijioma said the National Assembly is becoming quite expensive, and suggested that the ‘subsidy’ on that arm of government be removed.
“It’s time to remove subsidy from National Assembly, we can no longer subsidize their lifestyle,” he said.