The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas a seven-day ultimatum to ensure lawmakers refund all monies, allowances, and benefits received from the N110 billion vehicle procurement and support allowance schemes, which a Federal High Court has declared unlawful.
SERAP urged Mr Akpabio, Mr Abbas and the National Assembly “to immediately establish effective mechanisms to ensure that all future procurements and expenditure of public funds comply strictly with due process requirements and are guided by the principles of transparency, accountability and value for money.”
SERAP also urged them “to institutionalise public hearings on the lawmakers’ budget during every budget cycle and proactively publish the National Assembly’s detailed budgetary and expenditure information to enhance transparency, strengthen public confidence, and promote meaningful public participation in the budgeting process.”
The requests followed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos, delivered by Justice Yellim Bogoro in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1606/2023, which found that the spending of N40 billion on 465 vehicles for lawmakers and N70 billion in support allowances for newly elected members breached procurement laws, constitutional obligations, and the public trust.
In the letter dated June 20, 2026 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Flowing from Justice Bogoro’s judgment, there must be consequences and full restitution for the lawmakers’ failure to comply with their constitutional and statutory obligations, particularly in relation to the unlawful expenditure of the N110 billion, as found by the Court.
“Allowing lawmakers to retain benefits derived from unlawful and unconstitutional expenditure would be entirely inconsistent with the constitutional duty to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power and would undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.”
SERAP emphasized that no public official should be allowed to retain benefits obtained through conduct already judged unlawful and unconstitutional. Restitution, it argued, is essential to uphold the rule of law, restore public trust, and ensure accountability for violations of constitutional and statutory duties.
The organization noted that when a court finds public funds were spent in breach of procurement laws and constitutional provisions, especially in cases involving self-dealing and conflicts of interest, the rule of law requires that such benefits be reversed and fully accounted for.
Although the judgment does not expressly order a refund of the N110 billion, SERAP maintained that it provides a strong factual and legal basis for restitution when read alongside the Nigerian Constitution (1999, as amended), anti-corruption legislation, and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
SERAP warned that if the recommended measures were not taken within seven days of receipt or publication of the letter, it would take legal action against Akpabio, Abbas, other lawmakers, and the National Assembly to secure recovery of the funds.
“Justice Bogoro found that the expenditure was tainted by self-dealing, conflict of interest, and a failure to prioritise the national interest,” it said.
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