Lawan, Gbajabiamila Dragged To Court Over Missing N4.1bn NASS Funds

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, have been sued over an alleged missing N4.1bn National Assembly funds.

Naija News reports that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) sued the National Assembly leadership over the audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation released recently.

In the audited report, the AUGF alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds and sought the recovery of any missing funds.

In a suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/1609/2021 filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is suing Lawan and Gbajabiamila over their failure to probe, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies alleged missing NASS funds.

SERAP in the suit filed by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, is asking the court to direct the two NASS leaders to perform their constitutional oversight functions to promptly probe the allegations missing N4.1bn fund.

The organisation said: “The National Assembly has legal and constitutional duties to prevent and combat corruption, as well as promote transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

“The National Assembly can only effectively perform its anti-corruption role if it can demonstrate exemplary leadership to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement involving the legislative body.”

“Transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and wealth is essential for promoting development, people’s welfare and well-being, and their access to basic public services, as well as good governance and the rule of law.

“The failure of the National Assembly to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies the allegations documented in the annual audited report for 2016 is a fundamental breach of the oversight and public interest duties imposed on the legislative body.

“The National Assembly has no legally justifiable reason to refuse to investigate the allegations documented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.”