Akpabio, Abbas face new lawsuit as SERAP takes them to court over excessive allowances

Amid ongoing controversy, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas over their refusal to end the unlawful practice of setting lawmakers’ allowances and running costs.

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, revealed this in a statement on Sunday, noting that the lawsuit was filed last Friday at the Abuja Federal High Court, under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1289/2024.

The lawsuit seeks “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas to disclose the exact amount of monthly running costs received by lawmakers, as well as the spending details of these costs,” according to SERAP.

The group argues that the provisions of paragraph N, section 32(d) of the Third Schedule to Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) make it illegal for the National Assembly to set its own salaries, allowances, and running costs.

This development follows claims by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who accused lawmakers of setting their own salaries and allowances, contrary to recommendations by the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).

While it was clarified that Nigeria’s 109 senators earn a monthly salary of N1,063,860, the total amount of allowances was not specified. Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila of Kano South, however, disclosed that senators receive N21 million in monthly running costs. Former Senator Shehu Sani stated that Sumaila’s claims validated his own earlier assertions.