The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has thrown a heavy punch at Nigeria’s legislative leadership, demanding that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas publicly account for a staggering ₦18.6 billion allegedly missing from the National Assembly Commission Office Complex project.
In a letter dated October 18, 2025, and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP cited damning revelations from the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 report, which exposed suspicious payments and irregular contract execution linked to the project.
According to the report, a whopping ₦11.6 billion was paid to an unnamed construction company, while another ₦6.9 billion reportedly vanished into a questionable “roof garden conversion” scheme, done without proper authorization or documentation.
Calling the revelations “grim and deeply troubling,” SERAP accused the National Assembly leadership of betraying the public trust and flouting constitutional and anti-corruption obligations.
“The National Assembly must lead by example, not by secrecy,” the group declared. “Akpabio and Abbas cannot preach oversight while shielding corruption under their own roof.”
The rights group demanded full disclosure of the mysterious company’s identity, including its directors, shareholders, and registered address and immediate referral of the matter to anti-corruption agencies for a thorough investigation and recovery of any stolen funds.
SERAP gave the two presiding officers seven days to act — or face legal action compelling transparency and accountability.
Emphasizing that openness in public finance is not optional, SERAP reminded the leadership that both the Nigerian Constitution and the UN Convention against Corruption mandate transparency as the backbone of governance and national progress.
“You cannot build a credible democracy on a foundation of concealed contracts and missing billions,” SERAP warned.
Facebook Comments
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings